Chapter 13 – Shadows, Ice, and Blood

The announcer's voice echoed throughout the underground arena:

—"With that, we conclude the first stage of The Night of a Thousand Eyes! We'll see you again tonight. Remember: only the strong and wise have the right to move forward…"

The nobles began to leave. Some laughing, celebrating their victories and profits. Others, heads down, cursing their luck for betting everything on mediocre slaves. A few dragged their wounded servants away with kicks or lashed them with whips of energy.

Reiji walked slowly and steadily through the crowd. His gaze remained fixed on the end of the corridor, where Donyoku, wrapped in makeshift bandages, lay beside Aika, who held his hand tightly.

—"Let's go. It's time to leave," Reiji murmured as he arrived.

But a spear blocked his path. A crimson-armored guard looked at him with disdain.

—"Slaves must stay here. No one leaves until the event ends."

Reiji swallowed calmly, though his knuckles whitened around his sword's hilt. This wasn't the time to make a scene.

—"Hold on just a little longer," he whispered to them. "You did everything you had to… and more. I'm proud of you."

Then he walked over to where Chisiki was imprisoned, gripping the bars of his cell.

—"How are they?" he asked in a rough voice.

—"Donyoku's broken—physically and mentally. Aika… she's quieter than ever. She wouldn't eat. She didn't sleep. She's not crying, but… I can see her slowly fading away," Reiji replied, voice low.

Chisiki shut his eyes, jaw clenched.

—"I'll have to wait," he said with restrained frustration.

—"I brought you this," Reiji added, pulling out a black-covered book. "It's not much, but at least it'll help distract you. It's about the ancient soul pacts of the Northern Kingdom. You might find something useful."

Chisiki nodded and took the book in silence. Reiji walked away without another word.

At the exit, Bokusatsu was waiting, arms crossed.

—"I don't like this place. It reeks of death and business."

—"That's exactly what it is," Reiji replied.

—"And the ice boy? That Seita kid…"

—"I saw him," Reiji nodded. "His master abused him for not making his opponent suffer. He hasn't eaten today either. And still… Seita doesn't complain. He accepts it all as if there were no other way to exist."

—"That's monstrous," Bokusatsu growled.

—"I asked him why he didn't fight back. He told me his mother was a slave too. She sold him to save herself. And despite everything, he loved her. Until he didn't. Now he's empty—or at least, that's what he wants to seem."

—"And Seimei?"

—"Stayed behind to investigate. He wants to understand how this whole network works. Says there's something bigger behind it."

They walked to a cobblestone plaza where the sun was beginning to set. There, among merchants closing their stalls, a tall, well-dressed man with hair tied in a silk ponytail raised his hand with enthusiasm.

—"Reiji Mikazuki! The swordsman who always ran from noble gatherings? No way!" he exclaimed with a contagious laugh.

—"Shirota," Reiji said, smiling warmly. "I see gold still suits you."

—"And trouble still clings to you, apparently. Do you chase it or does it chase you?"

They embraced in a brotherly gesture. Shirota eyed Bokusatsu with polite suspicion.

—"And this gentleman who looks like he wants to kill me?"

—"A friend. His humor's not the best before tea," Reiji replied.

—"Then let's go to my house! It's nearby. Hot food, good wine, and not as many screams as this bloody circus."

Bokusatsu frowned as they walked.

—"I don't trust that perfect smile."

—"He's always been like that," Reiji said quietly. "Too charming, too dangerous… if you let him see your weakness."

Shirota's mansion was a miniature palace. Servants greeted them with bows and a table full of meats, exotic fruits, and liquor-soaked desserts.

During dinner, the merchant spoke nonstop.

—"The kingdom is changing. Eastern trade routes are full of raiders. The clans don't control things like before. And the King… well, let's say he's only interested in his own wars."

—"And you?" Reiji asked. "Still trading weapons, or have you started selling souls too?"

—"Bah! I sell peace of mind, Reiji. The problem is, it's getting harder to find… and sometimes, to bring peace to one, you have to destroy another. But you already know that, don't you?

The desperation of nobles is a gold mine."

—"I'm not surprised you've managed to survive here."

—"I could've been a general, or even a spiritual master. My Soukei was once considered brilliant. But I chose business. No glory, but full control," Shirota said with a soft chuckle.

As night approached and lights began to shine on the balconies, Reiji and Bokusatsu prepared to leave.

—"Thanks for the hospitality," said Reiji.

—"This will always be your home. Just… don't bring me more assassins, okay?"

As they stepped outside, Bokusatsu murmured:

—"His Shinkon… still works?"

—"Yes. He can manipulate weak wills. If he senses you're emotionally faltering, he can bend you without you realizing it."

—"And you trust him?"

—"No. But I don't hate him either. You just have to remember: never think about giving up when you're near him… or he'll do it for you."

Night fell once more, and the shadows of the city began to stretch again.

---

Darkness began to devour the last remnants of a golden sky.

Reiji walked with calm steps along the cobbled street leading back to The Night of a Thousand Gazes. His thoughts intertwined with the shadows of the buildings, recalling the faces of his students, the wounds, the shattered gazes... and the weight of his decision.

At his side, Bokusatsu remained silent, but worry was evident in his eyes.

"You haven't seen Seimei since this morning, have you?" Reiji asked, his voice cutting through the thick air.

"No. And I'm worried. That place... hides more than it shows."

Reiji nodded. He didn't reply. His instincts told him the same thing—this second night would be different.

---

Deep in the dungeons where slaves were locked up like beasts, Aika held Donyoku's bandaged arm with both hands. The room was damp, and the torches flickered shakily.

"How can you still smile...?" she asked, breaking the silence with a fragile voice.

"I'm not smiling. I'm enduring," Donyoku replied, panting.

Aika lowered her gaze.

"I thought you were just stupid... But you're brave. I didn't know it hurt this much to see someone suffer."

Donyoku slowly turned his face toward her.

"You know what the worst thing about pain is? You get used to it. You accept it. But if you... if you still feel fear or sadness because of what happened to me, then it means you're not broken yet, Aika."

She pressed her lips together, holding back her tears.

For the first time, someone wasn't asking her to be strong... but to be human.

---

A few corridors away, Chisiki calmly leafed through the book Reiji had given him. Reading kept him focused—sane. But the screech of the door startled him.

"You! Get ready. You're fighting tonight."

Chisiki closed the book slowly. He didn't reply.

They led him to the antechamber of the underground coliseum. In front of him, a boy his age, with a gaunt face and deep dark circles, trembled like a leaf.

"N-No... I don't want to do this! I didn't mean to come here! I… I didn't know! I'm scared! Please don't kill me... Please!"

Chisiki said nothing. He just watched him. The boy's eyes held no hatred. Only desperation.

In the stands, Reiji and Bokusatsu had just arrived.

From the back, the shrill, sarcastic voice of the announcer echoed:

"Welcome once more to this hell you all love so much! Let the second stage begin! Let the blood flow! Let the Shinkons speak! And let the tears, as always, be worthless!"

Bokusatsu looked around, uneasy.

"Where the hell is Seimei?"

---

In a hidden tunnel, behind a secret door, Seimei remained concealed in the shadows. His breathing was imperceptible, his eyes sharp.

Before him, unaware he was being watched, the host known as The Viper spoke with a figure cloaked in black silk.

"The Omnipresent has given you full freedom," the Viper whispered with a poisonous smile.

"As long as they entertain, you can choose whichever slaves you want for 'special purposes.'"

"Even the ones under Lord Mikazuki?"

"Especially those. One of them... the calm-eyed boy... is hiding something. I can feel it. And you know my venom doesn't just kill... it reveals."

The Viper's right arm cracked grotesquely. A white bone protruded from his palm, stretching like a natural spear. A dark liquid dripped from it, sparking as it touched the floor.

"You decide when to use the venom, of course. But if you go too far... you'll answer to Enma."

The figure nodded silently and vanished into the shadows.

Seimei frowned. The hidden world of that organization was murkier than he thought.

And this time, he felt it clearly: not everyone would make it out alive.

---

The air in the coliseum grew heavy. The lights focused on the center stage, where two figures could barely stand: Chisiki and the trembling boy, his face soaked in tears.

"Please! I don't want to die! Don't make me do this! Please...!"

The plea became a desperate echo that bounced off the walls, drowning out even the announcer's voice.

Chisiki didn't respond. His katana remained sheathed, unmoving.

The crowd began to grow impatient. Whistles. Murmurs. Boos. But he stayed frozen.

If I don't fight... what will happen?

If I do... who will I become afterward?

---

Just a few corridors from the coliseum, Seimei ran. Eyes focused. Teeth clenched. He had to reach Bokusatsu and Reiji. He had to tell them what he heard!

But then…

"Hey, you!" guards shouted behind him. "Stop!"

Seimei turned a corner, heart pounding like a drum… but he didn't get the chance to escape.

From the hallway shadows, dark hands made of mist and unstable form slithered silently like serpents.

They grabbed him and dragged him into a hidden passage—a space outside the known world, where time seemed to stand still.

A shadowy chamber. The floor had no texture. The air had no temperature.

And in the distance… Kagenami.

"I told you to be careful," he murmured, as the shadows returned to his back.

"You almost ended up dead. Or worse… captured. Tortured. Turned into something even I couldn't piece back together."

Seimei breathed heavily. Adrenaline kept him upright.

"What I heard... it's important. They want to attack Chisiki. Maybe all of them."

Kagenami lowered his gaze. He knew. He felt it.

But there were rules he couldn't break—even from the shadows.

"Don't do anything yet," he ordered.

"Observe. Wait. And when the time comes... strike with precision."

---

From the stands, Reiji watched the motionless duel. But it wasn't a fight.

It was one soul against another.

"This is Chisiki's real test," he whispered.

"It's not a battle. It's a fracture. And if it opens... it will change him forever."

---

In a secluded corner of the waiting area, where injured slaves were left like broken objects, Donyoku and Aika rested. He was nearly unconscious. She wiped her face with the edge of her robe, trying to keep some dignity.

Then he appeared—the nobleman from the night before. The same one who had threatened Reiji.

"Well, well... The little mutt's still alive. I thought you would've died like a proper show."

He approached, his voice reeking of wine and arrogance.

"And you..." he said, pointing at Aika with a lecherous grin,

"What a waste, letting someone like you wither without use."

Aika ignored him. The noble insisted, leaning in, trying to touch her.

"Back off..." Aika whispered, trembling.

Donyoku tried to move, but his muscles wouldn't respond.

The noble kicked him with contempt.

"A child playing hero. Useless."

And just as he was about to lay a hand on Aika's chest…

An ice blade appeared behind him, sharp, trembling, and threatening, pressing against his neck.

"Move... and you'll bleed like a pig," said a soft voice.

It was Seita.

The noble, furious, barely turned his head.

"You...? A filthy slave dares to defy me?! ME?!"

"You can hit me. Insult me. I can take it," Seita said, voice trembling but firm.

"But I won't let you do the same to her."

Ice began to cover part of Seita's arm. His eyes lit up with a fragile blue glow.

"Let her go. Or I'll kill you."

The noble didn't know if it was the pain in his neck or Seita's gaze that convinced him.

But he slowly withdrew his hand.

"Stupid dogs..." he muttered, backing away.

Seita knelt beside Aika. He said nothing more.

He just stayed there—a wall of ice against the darkness closing in.

---

"In a world where worth is measured in blood and silence in death,

sometimes… the greatest act of defiance is simply not becoming a monster."

Thank you for reading this chapter of Chi no Yakusoku.

If you enjoyed it, don't forget to follow for the next step in this dark blood-bound vow.