CHAPTER 16: THE POTENTIALS OF WAR

Liang Zhang woke up that day late for his private lesson with the Solarion prince. Rushing to reach Solaria, the man, an extraordinary swordsman from a poor and humble family, was determined not to lose such a good job. He ran most of the way to the grand border but found Solaria's gate completely closed upon arrival. Spotting two Solarion guards, Liang asked:

"Why are the gates closed? I have a lesson to give to the Solarion prince."

The two guards didn't even look Liang in the eye, maintaining a stern expression. The young man quickly realized he wouldn't be able to enter Solaria, but he still tried to bargain with them:

"If you let me through, I'll give you half of my salary."

The tall man with brown hair was met with silence from the guards. Liang felt disheartened—losing this job would mean he couldn't support his family. The young man had worked hard for years to achieve his current recognition. He was snapped out of his saddened thoughts when he noticed a change in the guards' expressions. They seemed to be looking behind him in fear. The men raised their spears, pointing them in his direction. Confused, Liang turned around.

What he saw wasn't terrifying—a small group of soldiers from the Metal Kingdom. They were all dressed in military uniforms and armor. What likely scared the Solarion guards was the possibility of an attack, as they were outnumbered—there were twelve soldiers from the Metal Kingdom, six on each side, with a woman in the middle. She looked familiar to Liang and spoke directly to him:

"Are you Liang Zhang?"

"Yes,"

he replied, trying to recall where he knew her from. She had brown hair, like most of the Metal Kingdom's population, tied back in a long and imposing ponytail. Her serious and rigid expression, white skin with a few scars, and cold blue eyes were striking. Liang suddenly remembered—she was the commander and advisor of the Metal Kingdom. It was rare to see her in action, as the Metal Kingdom had become peaceful after the Shadow Invasion War, relying on Solaria's protection instead of maintaining its own military.

The woman studied Liang for a few moments, seemingly unsure if the renowned swordsman in front of her was the same man she had heard about. Then she ordered:

"Liang Zhang, you have been classified as of extreme importance to the Metal Kingdom. You will return immediately to the kingdom before our gate closes."

The brown-haired man stared at the woman on horseback in disbelief and asked:

"Why is Solaria's gate closed? Why is our gate about to close? What the hell is going on?"

As the Metal Kingdom soldiers conversed, the two Solarion guards exchanged suspicious glances. The woman addressed Liang:

"If you don't come with us, you'll be stuck at the border. Our gate is closing, and as you can see, you won't be entering Solaria."

Receiving no answers to his many questions, the man decided to return to his home. The strangest part was that the soldiers began escorting him like a guard detail. Liang found it odd but had no choice—he couldn't leave his family without support, and sleeping outdoors in the borderlands didn't seem appealing.

The group traveled to the Metal Kingdom's gate. As soon as they entered, the gate was shut. Startled, Liang asked:

"Did they wait for me to enter?"

The woman ignored his question and headed toward the residence of the kingdom's elected leader. Liang tried to head home but was stopped by the soldiers, making it clear he was being taken to meet Hao.

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IN SOLARIA:

Haru and Kota followed Itoku into the meeting room. The king appeared distracted, lost in thought about something unknown. His ambitions were frightening—he constantly schemed ways to make Solaria stronger, regardless of the civilians who might perish in the process.

Hayato returned to the royal palace's meeting room, reporting to the king:

"Sir, Solarion soldiers at the gate reported that a young man from the Metal Kingdom was taken by soldiers from his own kingdom. It seems this young man was Liang Zhang. I believe that—"

The king interrupted him with a somber voice:

"They're arming themselves, Hayato. The Metal Kingdom doesn't have a gate separating it from the Shadow Kingdom, so closing their gate means they'll be locked in with the shadows. The Shadow Kingdom is unstable, filled with rebel terrorists and assassins. The Metal Kingdom would only close its gates after ensuring their war potentials are secure."

Haru shivered at the thought of another acquaintance in danger. First Kimiko, and now Liang. A war between kingdoms was the last thing he wanted. Kota, confused, asked his father:

"What is this 'war potential' you mentioned?"

Itoku ignored his son, visibly displeased that his plans weren't going as he hoped. Hayato answered instead:

"They are individuals who haven't yet reached their full potential but could become powerful weapons against enemies in the future. Liang Zhang, for example, is skilled with the sword, which is a strong indicator of potential for someone from the Metal Kingdom."

Kota pondered for a moment before asking again:

"Where are our war potentials? Shouldn't they be in a safe place?"

Hayato was about to reply but was interrupted by Itoku, who spoke faster:

"We have no one like that. Hayato and I are the most powerful, and we will deal with anything that crosses our gates without permission."

Itoku paused, thinking for a moment, then continued:

"And what if the missile wasn't destroyed, Hayato?"

The two men exchanged serious looks. Then the king ordered:

"Return to your quarters, boys. The adults need to talk. And Kota, use your servant."

The king's constant attempts to humiliate his servant sparked resentment in the Solarion prince's heart. Rising from the table, Kota grabbed his frail servant's wrist and led him out of the room. Once far from the meeting room, the prince spoke:

"I think our fathers are monsters. Everything they do is for their own benefit. Tell me, Haru, would you run away with me?"

Haru's cheeks burned, and he was about to say yes when Kota interrupted:

"We can't do that. I can't abandon my duties or leave Niray's fate and the lives of thousands in my father's hands."

Kota suddenly began to cry. Haru never imagined seeing the great and imposing prince cry like that but understood the pressure the young heir faced. The servant embraced his master, showing all his care and devotion.

Unable to contain his emotions any longer, Kota, overwhelmed by Haru's embrace, leaned in and kissed his servant—a pure kiss, filled with desire and passion.