Kaizetsu didn't go home.
His feet carried him through the misty streets, his mind replaying his grandfather's words from years ago. "There is knowledge in this world that refuses to be erased… but only those who seek it will find it."
For a long time, he had ignored those words. Dismissed them as the ramblings of an old man who had seen too much of the world. But now, after tonight, after the attack, after the assassins… He needed answers.
His grandfather had once spoken of a place buried beneath the past—an old library, hidden where no ordinary person would think to look. It wasn't marked on any map. It wasn't recorded in history. But if the legend was true, then it contained knowledge that even The Secret Hand hadn't erased. The kind of knowledge that could alter the course of history.
Hours later, deep within the oldest part of the city, he found himself standing before a forgotten district.
Most of the buildings here were abandoned, their structures warped by time and neglect. Windows were coated in grime, doors hung loosely from rusted hinges, and the air carried the scent of old paper and damp wood. This part of the city had been left behind—erased from memory, but never truly gone.
Kaizetsu's steps were quiet as he moved through the desolate streets. His grandfather's words echoed in his mind:
"History doesn't disappear. It just waits for someone stubborn enough to look for it."
Then, he saw it.
An old library.
The structure blended into the ruins, its weathered facade bearing the scars of age. Faded lettering above the entrance hinted at its past significance, but the dust-covered windows and unkempt surroundings told another story—no one had set foot here in years.
The door was closed, but not locked. Just… untouched.
Kaizetsu reached out, pressing against the wood. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, with a slow creak, the door gave way, swinging open with the weight of forgotten years.
The scent of aged parchment and ink filled his senses as he stepped inside.
He had found it.
As Kaizetsu stepped deeper into the library, the silence pressed in around him. Dust floated lazily through the air, disturbed only by his movements. The towering shelves loomed over him, casting long, stretching shadows in the dim light.
Then—he felt it.
That same pressure. The eerie sensation of being watched.
His steps slowed. He wasn't alone.
He turned his head slightly, scanning the space between the shelves. At first, there was nothing—just the suffocating stillness of the abandoned library. But then, near the entrance, he caught the slightest movement. A shadow that shouldn't have been there.
Someone had followed him in.
Kaizetsu didn't react immediately. Instead, he continued forward, pretending not to notice. His fingers hovered near his katana, his senses sharpening.
Then—
"You notice things quicker than most."
A voice, smooth and measured, cut through the quiet.
Kaizetsu turned, his expression unreadable.
A figure stepped out from the entrance. The man's dark cloak blended seamlessly with the dim surroundings, but his posture—predatory yet calm—was unmistakable.
Kaizetsu's eyes narrowed. He didn't need an introduction to know this wasn't some ordinary wanderer.
Kaizetsu's grip on his katana tightened slightly. The air between them felt charged, an unspoken tension lingering like the calm before a storm.
The stranger took another step forward, his movements deliberate, measured. His sharp eyes studied Kaizetsu with a calculating gaze, as if weighing his worth.
"You're more perceptive than I expected," he said, voice carrying a hint of amusement.
Kaizetsu didn't respond immediately. His mind was already working, analyzing the situation. Whoever this was, he wasn't just some bystander. He had followed Kaizetsu here—why?
"Who are you?" Kaizetsu's voice was calm, but there was an edge to it.
The man tilted his head slightly before offering a small smirk. "Kazuki".
Kaizetsu remained silent, his gaze unwavering.
Kazuki took another step forward, resting a hand on the hilts of the twin daggers strapped to his waist. "Relax. If I wanted to kill you, I would've done it before you even knew I was here."
Kaizetsu's expression didn't change. "You followed me."
Kazuki shrugged. "You could say that. But not for the reason you're thinking."
"Then what reason?"
Kazuki exhaled, his smirk fading into something more neutral. "Back in that alley… that assassin you killed said something interesting before he died."
Kaizetsu's eyes flickered, but his face remained unreadable.
Kazuki's voice lowered slightly, his next words slow and deliberate. "He said… 'King's blood.'"
A heavy silence hung between them.
Kaizetsu had replayed those words in his mind over and over since the moment they were spoken. But hearing them from someone else's mouth now made his pulse steady, his focus sharpening.
"You heard that," Kaizetsu finally said, more statement than question.
Kazuki nodded. "And I don't think he was just saying it out of desperation. He knew something. And judging by the way The Secret Hand wanted you dead, I'd say you do too."
Kaizetsu didn't answer. He wasn't about to give away what little he knew.
Kazuki watched him closely before continuing. "That's why I followed you. Because I want to know—what exactly does 'King's blood' mean?"
Kaizetsu narrowed his eyes. "And why does that interest you?"
Kazuki's smirk returned, but there was no humor in it. "Because I've been hunting The Secret Hand for years. And if they're after you for something this important, then that means you're worth watching."
Kaizetsu remained silent, his mind processing every word. He didn't trust Kazuki. But he also knew he couldn't ignore him.
Kazuki leaned slightly against a nearby shelf. "Look, I'm not your enemy. Not yet, anyway. But I know how The Secret Hand operates. And if you want answers, you'll need someone who's been through their hell before."
Kaizetsu exhaled quietly. "And what do you want in return?"
Kazuki's eyes glinted. "Simple. I want to know the truth just as much as you do. And I need someone who can keep up with me."
Another beat of silence passed before Kaizetsu finally spoke.
"I work alone."
Kazuki chuckled. "You say that now, but let's see how long that lasts."
Kaizetsu didn't dignify that with a response. But despite his wariness, something told him this meeting wasn't a coincidence.
Kazuki saw it too.
And whether Kaizetsu liked it or not, their paths had just intertwined.
_____
A tense silence stretched between them.
Kazuki crossing his arms and tilting his head. "So? You gonna keep acting all broody, or do you actually have a plan?"
Kaizetsu didn't even glance at him. "I don't recall asking for your input."
Kazuki smirked. "And yet, here I am, standing in this abandoned library, listening to you pretend you don't need help."
Kaizetsu exhaled through his nose, finally turning his gaze toward Kazuki. "You talk a lot for someone who's been following me around."
Kazuki crossed his arms. "Nah, I'm just enjoying the view. Watching you struggle to act mysterious is kind of entertaining."
Kaizetsu's jaw twitched. "And yet, you still haven't left."
Kazuki leaned closer slightly, his smirk unfazed. "Because I know something you don't."
Kaizetsu finally met his gaze fully. "And what's that?"
Kazuki's voice lowered. "That no matter how much you pretend otherwise… you want answers just as badly as I do."
Another beat of silence.
Then—Kaizetsu scoffed. "Hate to break it to you, but I'm not interested in playing detective with you."
Kazuki shrugged. "That's fine. I'll just be here when you inevitably realize you're out of your depth."
Kaizetsu ignored him, stepping past, deeper into the rows of books. Kazuki followed with an amused hum.
And then—Kaizetsu stopped.
His eyes locked onto a single book. One that looked deliberately placed.
The banter between them faded instantly.
Kazuki, noticing the shift in his demeanor, raised an eyebrow. "What?"
Kaizetsu reached for the book. His fingers brushed the cover, and for the first time tonight, a strange unease settled in his chest.
Kazuki's smirk dimmed slightly. "That supposed to mean something?"
Kaizetsu flipped open the first page.
And the words struck like a thunderclap.
"The king's legacy will return. And when the forgotten heir claims the Crown… the world shall tremble once more."
His grip on the paper tightened.
The temperature in the room seemed to drop.
Kaizetsu exhaled slowly, closing the book.
Kazuki narrowed his eyes, his voice calm but sharp. "Tch… And what exactly is that supposed to mean?"
Kaizetsu didn't answer immediately. His gaze lingered on the prophecy, the weight of the words pressing down on him. The forgotten heir. The Crown. The world trembling.
Then, beneath the prophecy, his eyes caught something else. A symbol.
Not inked, not written—burned into the page.
Kazuki noticed his sudden change in expression. "You look like you just got punched by reality. You good?"
Kaizetsu didn't answer. His fingers traced the burned symbol on the page, his mind racing. This wasn't just some old prophecy. This was something bigger—something that had been set in motion long before he was even born.
Kazuki clicked his tongue. "Tch. If you figured something out, maybe share it with the class?"
Kaizetsu's grip tightened around the book. "…This symbol. I've seen it before."
Kazuki frowned. "Where?"
Kaizetsu hesitated, but only for a moment. Then, he turned the book around, showing Kazuki the mark seared into the old parchment. The moment Kazuki saw it, his smirk disappeared.
His face darkened.
"…You're kidding," Kazuki muttered.
Kaizetsu studied his reaction. "You recognize it too."
Kazuki didn't answer immediately. He stared at the symbol like it was something he wished he hadn't seen. Then, finally, he let out a slow breath.
"I've seen this carved into the walls of a place no one should've been able to reach."
Kaizetsu's pulse quickened. "Where?"
Kazuki met his gaze.
"The ruins of the lost city"
Silence.
The words hung between them, heavy and undeniable.
Kazuki exhaled sharply, rolling his shoulders. "Looks like we just got our new destination."
Kaizetsu didn't respond. He just kept staring at the burned symbol, as if expecting it to change.
Because if what Kazuki was saying was true…
Then the past wasn't as buried as everyone thought.