chapter 9: the apprentices first quest

Chapter 9: The Apprentice's First Quest

Rin stirred from his sleep, the weight of exhaustion pressing down on him like a heavy blanket. He barely cracked an eye open before a voice interrupted his peace.

"You're a disgrace of an apprentice."

Rin groaned, rolling onto his side. "Morning to you too, old man."

A sharp tap struck the floor next to him, and Rin finally opened his eyes. Engine stood over him, spinning his red thorny umbrella with a smirk. His white hair was disheveled as usual, his black-streaked fingers drumming against the wooden handle.

"All you do is sleep," Engine sighed, exasperated. "Do you think the Wall takes in slackers?"

"I just got out of prison," Rin muttered. "Cut me some slack."

Engine ignored his complaints. "It's time for your first task as my apprentice. A test of skill, wit, and endurance!"

Rin sighed, sitting up. "Fine. What is it?"

"Catching a kitten."

Silence.

Rin blinked. "What?"

"You heard me." Engine grinned.

Rin scowled. "This is a joke, right?"

"Do I look like I'm joking?"

Rin stared at him. Engine stared back, dead serious.

"...You're messing with me."

Engine only smirked and walked off, spinning his umbrella lazily.

Rin sighed, rubbing his temples.

A damn kitten.

The Kitten and the Girl

The task was simple—find the kitten, catch it, return. But life was never that simple.

It didn't take long to track the tiny creature. It was perched on the rooftop of a rundown shop, trembling and weak. Rin sighed, shaking his head.

"Come here, you little troublemaker."

He crouched, climbing onto a stack of crates to reach the kitten. The creature hissed but didn't resist when he carefully scooped it up. That was when Rin noticed the girl sitting on the steps of the shop.

She was young—probably around his age—with delicate features and tear-streaked cheeks. Her hands were clenched into small fists, eyes red from crying.

Rin approached cautiously. "Is this yours?"

She looked up, startled, before gasping. "Suzu!"

She reached out, then hesitated, her eyes flickering with uncertainty. Rin followed her gaze and frowned. The kitten's hind leg was bleeding.

Without thinking, he tore a strip from his sleeve. "Hold still."

The girl sniffled as Rin carefully wrapped the wound. When he was done, he handed the kitten over. She clutched it tightly, tears spilling over.

"Thank you," she whispered.

Rin shifted awkwardly. "Be more careful next time."

The moment was short-lived.

His instincts screamed.

Danger.

A presence loomed behind him—cold, unyielding. Rin turned his head slowly, eyes narrowing.

A man stood there. Tall. Silent. His uniform was pristine, his posture rigid. His expression was unreadable, but the weight of his presence was suffocating.

The girl stiffened.

"Miss," the man said, his voice devoid of emotion. "It's time to return."

She shrank back, clutching the kitten tighter. "I don't want to go."

Rin frowned. Something was off. The way she recoiled—it wasn't the fear of a strict guardian. It was the fear of someone who had no choice.

The man's gaze flickered to Rin.

"People who come in contact with the Lil Mistress should be killed."

Rin barely had time to react before a fist slammed into his stomach.

Pain exploded through his core. His breath vanished in a violent gasp, his body folding over the impact. Before he could recover, a second strike struck his chest, sending him flying.

He crashed onto the hard ground, coughing violently.

Damn…

This guy was strong.

A Desperate Struggle

Rin struggled to push himself up, his vision blurred. The man was already moving, raising a heavy boot. Rin tried to roll away—

A massive hand caught the man's ankle.

"That's enough," a deep voice rumbled.

The pressure lifted. Rin gasped, rolling onto his side as a new figure stepped in.

A burly man. Towering. Broad shoulders. A deep scar ran down his cheek. His sheer presence was like an immovable mountain.

The uniformed man narrowed his eyes. "Who are you?"

The burly man smirked. "Name's Appa. And the kid's under my protection now."

The uniformed man's lips pressed into a thin line. "Then you will die with him."

He moved.

Fast.

His hands flickered—then strings shimmered into existence, nearly invisible.

String weapons?

The strings lashed out, cutting through the air with lethal precision.

Appa didn't flinch. Instead, he stepped forward. The moment the strings closed in, he grabbed them.

Rin's eyes widened.

"Impossible—!"

With a roar, Appa pulled.

The uniformed man's balance wavered for a split second. That was all Appa needed. He surged forward, his massive palm slamming into the man's chest with a thunderous impact.

The uniformed man stumbled back. He adjusted quickly, flicking his fingers. The strings snapped taut, forming a web between his hands.

This wasn't just a fight. It was a battle of technique.

Rin forced himself up, watching in awe. Appa wasn't just strong—his movements were precise. Controlled. He wasn't just a brute. He was a judo master.

The uniformed man recovered, his fingers moving rapidly. The strings shimmered, wrapping around the air itself.

Then he pulled.

Appa's arm jerked back unnaturally.

The strings were tightening.

Appa gritted his teeth, veins bulging. The strings cut into his flesh, drawing blood, but he didn't falter.

Instead—he leaned in.

With a thunderous step, he twisted his body, redirecting the force. The strings snapped violently, and Appa launched forward with the momentum, slamming his shoulder into his opponent.

The ground cracked beneath their feet.

The uniformed man skidded back, his boots scraping against the stone.

Rin's heart pounded.

Appa was a monster.

But his opponent wasn't done yet.

The uniformed man exhaled slowly. His fingers twitched. The strings extended, wrapping around nearby objects.

Then—

The entire battlefield shifted.

Rin barely saw it before it happened. The strings connected to the walls, the crates, the streetlights—suddenly, it wasn't just a fight. It was a trap.

The moment Appa stepped forward, the strings pulled.

An entire section of the street collapsed inward, rubble crashing down.

Appa was fast, but not fast enough.

The strings caught him.

Rin's blood ran cold.

Then—

"Enough."

The voice cut through the chaos.

The girl had stepped forward.

The uniformed man immediately halted. The strings vanished. He bowed.

"As you command, Lil Mistress."

She looked at Rin, then at Appa. "Leave them be. We're going home."

The man hesitated, then nodded. "Understood."

Rin exhaled as the tension in the air faded.

The girl turned back to Rin. "Thank you… for saving Suzu."

Then she was gone, disappearing into the chariot that arrived.

Rin sat on the ground, exhausted.

Appa chuckled. "That was fun."

Rin glared at him. "You have a weird definition of fun engine sent you right?"

Appa only grinned.

Rin exhaled, looking up at the sky.

Something told him—this wasn't the last time he'd see her.

Not by a long shot.