The silence after Veylin's words was crushing. The air inside the chamber grew heavier, so dense that it felt like breathing through stone. No one dared to speak—until finally, Lior stepped forward, breaking the unbearable stillness.
"What's going on here?" His voice cut through the gloom, sharp but uneasy.
Renjiro's face, carved in iron until now, softened with something rare—grief. His gaze dropped to the polished floor as though the truth itself was too heavy to face head-on.
"Myza…" His voice trembled just slightly. "She is my daughter."
A stunned gasp escaped Tekia. Michi and the others stared in disbelief, the weight of the revelation pressing down on their hearts.
Renjiro straightened, his tone growing grim, every word laced with sorrow. "She left Onirokami long ago. She abandoned her people, abandoned me… and joined the Auran Covenant. Time and again, she demanded the door piece. Time and again, I refused her. And so—" His fists clenched tightly around his robes. "—I rejected her not only as heir… but as my blood."
Tekia's body shook as if struck by lightning. "M-Myza… She was like a sister to me…" His voice cracked, filled with an ache that echoed years of bonds. "We trained together, played together… but one day she just—changed. Like something dark took over her, like she wasn't even herself anymore…"
Renjiro's gaze hardened. "We cannot waste another second. Veylin!"
The masked ninja knelt instantly. "Yes, Renjiro-sama."
"Prepare for war. Tekia!" Renjiro barked, his authority thunderous again. "You will take command of the inner city. Order Onoe, Tugaru, and Kaori to protect the civilians and guard the inner walls."
Tekia straightened, wiping his tear-stained eyes, forcing composure. "Y-Yes, Renjiro-sama!"
Renjiro continued with rapid precision, his commands flowing like sharpened blades. "Veylin, inform Riyuka to gather his troops and move south. Disdas will hold the north. Yotto will guard the east, and Reiji the west. No coast shall fall, no gate shall break. Do you understand?"
Veylin slammed his fist to the ground in salute. "Understood."
As the orders fell into place, Michi stepped forward, fire in his eyes. "We want to help, too."
Renjiro turned sharply, his glare enough to silence soldiers—yet Michi did not flinch.
"No," Renjiro said firmly. "This is not your war. You are outsiders. I will not allow innocents to throw themselves into Onirokami's blood feud."
Michi's fists clenched. His voice rose, clear and unwavering. "I came here for the door piece. You told me to prove my worth. If I stand back while your people fight and fall, what worth do I have? If I don't help, then I'm nothing but a coward asking for a gift I didn't earn!"
Renjiro's eyes narrowed, studying the boy's defiance.
Tekia suddenly burst out, his voice loud and desperate. "Let him join, Renjiro-sama! Please! We need their strength, their support! Michi and his friends are not just outsiders—they're our allies, and right now, Onirokami needs every hand it can get!"
For a long, tense moment, Renjiro said nothing. The chamber echoed with only the sound of his slow, steady breath. Then, with a low growl, he reached behind him and pulled free a heavy weapon—an old battle hatchet, its steel scarred and weathered from countless wars.
"Very well," he said. His voice was like stone cracking under weight. "But know this. If the time comes… if she stands before me as an enemy, I will not hesitate. I will end my own blood with this blade." His grip tightened, knuckles pale, eyes burning with tragic resolve.
The chamber shook with the gravity of his words.
"Now move out!" Renjiro barked.
The group sprang into motion, rushing through the palace halls, the clang of armor and the shuffle of boots filling the air. Tekia ran ahead, already preparing to relay orders to Onoe, Tugaru, and Kaori. Veylin vanished into shadows, streaking through the walls like a phantom to carry Renjiro's commands to the generals.
The momentum carried them all forward—until, suddenly, Julia's voice rang out.
"Wait—Tieu!"
The Moon Clan girl turned, startled. Julia stepped forward, her golden eyes glowing faintly with a strange light, her aura shimmering in tune with the rising tension outside.
"Tieu," Julia said, her voice urgent but gentle, "today is the Solar Eclipse. Our clans' bond—the Sun and the Moon—it's strongest on this day. We can lend more than anyone else. If we go together, if we align our powers, we can turn the tides. But we'll need a high vantage point."
Tieu's breath caught, realization dawning. Her lips parted slowly before curling into a determined smile. "Yes."
She nodded firmly, her silver hair bouncing lightly with the motion. "Let's go, Julia."
The two girls broke away from the group, sprinting toward the palace's upper corridors. Their footsteps echoed like whispers of destiny, their bond ready to awaken beneath the rare and fateful eclipse.
Michi glanced after them, then clenched his jaw, heart pounding. Around him, the others braced themselves for the storm to come.
Outside, the first tremors of war shook Onirokami—the roars of soldiers, the shrieks of undead mermaids, and the crashing tide of battle already at their gates.
And in the heart of it all, Renjiro Kazen gripped his hatchet tightly, his face grim. The war for Onirokami had begun.