I hate bullying

Akane scoffed, wiping the blood from her cheek with the back of her hand. "Explaining? To you? I don't owe you anything."

Kuroi didn't flinch, his sword still in his hand but held low. "You shot at us. That makes this our business."

Ryunosuke stepped forward, his voice less confrontational. "Look, we're not trying to start anything. But if there's a reason you're acting like this, just tell us. We're not your enemies."

Akane's sharp gaze flicked between the two of them. Her lips pressed into a thin line, and for a moment, she said nothing. Then, she let out a sharp exhale, tucking her mask into her belt. "You don't belong here. That's all you need to know."

"Not good enough," Kuroi replied bluntly, his tone cold. "If you're trying to protect something—or someone—you should say it. Because right now, you're just making yourself look like a threat."

Akane's jaw tightened, her fingers curling into fists. "A threat? You're the ones wandering into places you shouldn't be, armed to the teeth like you own the world. I don't need to explain myself to you."

Ryunosuke raised his hands, palms out. "Whoa, whoa, let's not jump to conclusions here. We're not bandits or anything. We're just... traveling."

"Traveling?" Akane repeated, her voice dripping with skepticism. She crossed her arms, her posture tense. "Through this forest? You must be either desperate or incredibly stupid."

Ryunosuke chuckled nervously. "Probably a little of both."

Kuroi's eyes stayed locked on her, his expression unreadable. "You're protecting something, aren't you? That's why you attacked us."

Akane hesitated, her eyes narrowing. "And if I am? What's it to you?"

"Then we're not your problem," Kuroi said, lowering his sword but keeping it in hand. "We're not here to take anything from you or whoever you're protecting. We're just passing through."

Akane didn't respond right away. Her gaze flicked to the blood on her arm, then to the two of them. Finally, she shook her head, letting out a frustrated sigh. "You don't get it. You can't just 'pass through.' This forest isn't empty. It's ours."

"Ours?" Ryunosuke repeated, confused.

"My people live here," Akane snapped, her voice rising. "We've been here for generations, hiding from people like you—people who think they can take whatever they want without a second thought."

Kuroi's grip tightened on his sword. "We're not here to take anything."

"Maybe not," Akane said bitterly, "but how am I supposed to know that? You show up with weapons, wandering around like you're looking for a fight. What am I supposed to think?"

Ryunosuke opened his mouth to respond but stopped, glancing at Kuroi. "She's got a point," he admitted reluctantly.

Kuroi sheathed his sword with a deliberate motion, the sound sharp in the tense silence. "Then let's make this clear. We're not here to hurt you or your people. If you want us gone, just tell us the way out, and we'll leave."

Akane studied him for a long moment, her expression guarded. "You think it's that simple? If I let you go, what's stopping you from telling someone about us? Leading more people here?"

Kuroi met her gaze evenly. "You don't know us. But if we wanted to hurt you, we wouldn't be standing here talking."

Akane's lips pressed into a thin line, her eyes darting between Kuroi and Ryunosuke. Finally, she sighed, her shoulders relaxing just slightly. "Fine. But I'm coming with you. I'll make sure you get out of here—and that you don't cause any trouble."

Ryunosuke raised an eyebrow. "Wait, you're coming with us? Isn't that a little... risky for you?"

"Not as risky as letting you wander around unsupervised," Akane shot back. She adjusted the cloth on her arm, wincing slightly.

Kuroi nodded, his tone calm but firm. "Fair enough. But if you're coming with us, you'd better trust us at least a little. We're not your enemies."

Akane didn't respond, turning and motioning for them to follow. "Stay close. And don't touch anything."

The trio walked in tense silence, the forest alive with the sound of rustling leaves and distant bird calls. Kuroi, walking a step ahead of Ryunosuke, glanced at Akane, who was leading the way with her shoulders squared and her jaw set.

"So," Kuroi began, his voice calm but probing, "are your people fighting with another group?"

Akane stiffened slightly, her steps faltering for a fraction of a second before she recovered. "What the hell do you care?" she snapped, not looking back.

Ryunosuke raised an eyebrow, glancing at Kuroi. "She's got a point, you know. We're just passing through, remember?"

Kuroi ignored him, his gaze fixed on Akane. "I just want to know what we're walking into. If there's a war going on, it's better to know who's fighting and why."

Akane let out a sharp breath, her grip tightening on the strap of her quiver. "Yeah, we're fighting. Not that it's any of your business."

"And who would this group be?" Kuroi pressed, his tone still even but unyielding.

Akane stopped abruptly, turning to face him with a glare. "You really want to know? Fine. It's the Shirogane Clan. Ever heard of them?"

Kuroi's eyes narrowed slightly, his mind working through the name. "Shirogane… samurai mercenaries, right? They work for the highest bidder."

Akane's lips curled into a bitter smile. "That's putting it lightly. They're more like hired thugs with swords. They came through here months ago, claiming they were 'clearing the land' for some lord. But all they've done is burn villages and kill anyone who gets in their way."

Ryunosuke frowned, his usual easygoing demeanor replaced with a rare seriousness. "So they're just… taking over? No one's stopping them?"

Akane laughed bitterly, shaking her head. "Stopping them? You think anyone cares about a bunch of villagers hiding in the woods? The lords don't care, the samurai don't care, and the Shirogane sure as hell don't care. It's just us."

Kuroi's jaw tightened, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. "And you've been fighting them on your own?"

"Not just me," Akane said sharply. "My people. We're doing what we can, but we're not warriors. We're farmers, hunters. We can't go toe-to-toe with trained killers, but we don't have a choice."

Ryunosuke scratched the back of his head, looking uncomfortable. "That's… rough. But why didn't you just move somewhere else?"

Akane turned her glare on him, her voice rising. "Move? To where? This forest is all we have. It's where we've lived for generations. Our homes, our ancestors' graves—they're all here. You think we can just pack up and leave?"

Ryunosuke raised his hands defensively. "Okay, okay, I get it. I didn't mean it like that."

Kuroi's gaze softened slightly, though his voice remained steady. "You're doing what you can to survive. I respect that."

Akane's eyes flicked to him, her expression hard to read. "Yeah, well, respect doesn't mean much when you're outnumbered and outmatched."

The group fell into silence again, the weight of Akane's words hanging in the air. Ryunosuke glanced at Kuroi, then back at Akane. "So… what's the plan? You can't keep fighting them forever, right?"

Akane's shoulders slumped slightly, her earlier defiance giving way to exhaustion. "We're just trying to hold out. Maybe if we make it hard enough for them, they'll move on. Or maybe they'll kill us all. Who knows?"

Kuroi looked ahead, his expression unreadable. "And you're okay with that? Fighting until there's nothing left?"

Akane's eyes flashed with anger, but there was something else there too—fear, frustration, and a deep, unshakable sadness. "What choice do we have?" she said quietly.

Kuroi didn't answer right away. Instead, he adjusted the sword at his hip and kept walking. "Maybe there's another way," he said finally, his voice low.

Akane snorted, shaking her head. "Another way? You don't know anything about us. About what we've been through."

"Maybe not," Kuroi admitted, glancing at her. "But I know what it's like to fight for something that feels impossible. And I know what it's like to win."

Akane stared at him, her expression a mix of skepticism and curiosity. "You think you can take on the Shirogane? Just the two of you?"

Ryunosuke let out a nervous laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. "Uh, I don't know about that. I'm more of a lover than a fighter."

Kuroi ignored him, his gaze locked on Akane. "If they're a problem, we'll deal with them. But we need to know everything—where they are, how many there are, what they're after. Can you give us that?"

Akane hesitated, her eyes narrowing as she studied him. "Why would you help us? What's in it for you?"

Kuroi's expression didn't change. "Let's just say I don't like bullies."

Ryunosuke sighed, shaking his head. "Great. Looks like we're getting involved in another mess."

Akane's lips twitched, almost like she wanted to smile but didn't dare. "Alright. But don't say I didn't warn you. The Shirogane aren't like the bandits you've probably dealt with before. They're killers. All of them."

Kuroi's hand tightened on his sword hilt. "Good. I'm looking for a challenge."

Akane shook her head, muttering under her breath as she turned and led the way. "You're either brave or stupid. Probably both."

Ryunosuke sighed again, falling into step beside Kuroi. "You know, one of these days, we're going to pick a fight we can't win."

Kuroi smirked faintly, his eyes fixed ahead. "Not today."