Whispers of the Past

Rajiv sat by the fire, watching as the flames danced in the night. The Akaru Clan members gathered around, their faces hardened by years of struggle. The older man, who had introduced himself as Jiro, began to speak.

"A decade ago, our clan thrived," Jiro said, his voice steady but tinged with pain. "We controlled a unique form of energy—Akaru Flow. It allowed us to transfer energy freely among ourselves, strengthening our people without needing external sources."

Rajiv leaned forward. "That sounds powerful."

Jiro nodded. "It was. But the nobles saw it as a threat. They feared our ability to grow stronger without relying on them. One night, they attacked. Our village was burned, our people were scattered. Those who resisted… were never seen again."

Yokudo frowned. "But why erase your history? Couldn't they just control you?"

Jiro's eyes darkened. "Because control wasn't enough. They wanted to make sure no one even remembered we existed."

A heavy silence filled the air. Rajiv clenched his fists. "And now you're left with nothing but scraps of energy?"

Jiro sighed. "Exactly. The noble clan controls the energy flow in the city. Anyone who opposes them is cut off. That's why we use these." He lifted his energy gun. "They're weak, but they're all we have."

Rajiv's mind raced. If the noble clan had the power to erase an entire group from history, then they were more dangerous than he had thought.

He stood up. "Then we need to get you back into A1 City."

Jiro blinked. "What?"

Rajiv crossed his arms. "The competition. If it's as big as Kazuki said, then the noble clan will be watching. If we get inside, we can start gathering information—figure out their weaknesses."

Yokudo smirked. "Not a bad idea. But how do we get them in? They're exiled."

Rajiv turned to Jiro. "You know the city better than us. Is there another way in?"

Jiro hesitated. Then, slowly, he nodded. "There's an underground tunnel. It's dangerous, but it leads straight into the lower districts."

Rajiv grinned. "Then that's our way in."

Jiro sighed. "You're taking a big risk, kid."

Rajiv's eyes burned with determination. "So are you. But if we don't act now, you'll stay in the shadows forever."

Jiro looked around at his people. Some nodded. Others still looked uncertain.

Finally, he turned back to Rajiv. "Fine. We'll take the tunnel. But once we're inside, there's no turning back."

Rajiv smirked. "I wasn't planning on it."

As the night stretched on, the group began preparing for their journey. The battle against the noble clan was only beginning.

And Rajiv was ready to face whatever came next.