Three months had passed in the hidden depths of the DR. Through sweat and exhaustion, Tohi had finally awakened the dormant blood in his veins. He could now summon the basic flickers of demon power—strength, speed, and a dark energy that hummed beneath his skin.
He was mid-spar with Ruka when K entered the training grounds. The giant leader watched them for a moment before speaking. "Tohi, you have mastered the basics. But to truly become a warrior, you must test your power against the world. You and Ruka will head to Sasoi. You will go disguised as Hunters."
Tohi wiped sweat from his brow, his heart racing. "But sir, the King's people know my face. They know my name."
K shook his head. "The three months of training have changed you, Tohi. You look older, harder. And as for your name... from now on, you are Tohi Sana. To the world, Tohi Kanisi died on that rope."
Five days later, the morning of their departure arrived. Ruka entered Tohi's room, finding him staring at his packed gear. "Tohi," she said softly, her voice uncharacteristically serious. "Do you truly want this? The revenge... is it worth what comes next?"
Tohi didn't hesitate. "My family is dead, Ruka. There is no other path for me."
Ruka gave a small, sad nod. "Then come. The horses are ready."
As they stepped out into the light, Tohi shielded his eyes and looked up at the sun. Mom, Dad, little sister... he thought. I'm coming for the man who took you.
He climbed onto the horse behind Ruka, gripping the saddle as they began to move. "Where exactly is the DR headquarters?" Tohi asked as they rode. "I've never known our true location."
"We are outside the walls, Tohi," Ruka revealed.
Tohi nearly fell off the horse. "Outside?! You're telling me this now? We're in the demon lands?"
Ruka chuckled. "It's the only place the King's scouts won't go. But don't worry—our first stop is the ruins of Kasoi. After that, we cross into Sasoi to find your destiny."
Meanwhile, hundreds of miles away in the glittering towers of Golden Sani, Victor stood in a secret balcony with the Princess. He leaned in close, his voice a low, dangerous hiss.
"Mai... I have found the perfect way to kill your father."
For a whole week, they rode through the desolate, untamed lands outside the Soi Wall. As the sun finally dipped below the horizon on the seventh day, the shadows grew long and cold.
"Hey, Ruka," Tohi called out, pulling his horse to a halt. "It's night. We should make camp, cook some food, and get some sleep."
"Agreed," Ruka nodded, sliding smoothly from her saddle.
Within an hour, a small fire was crackling, pushing back the deep darkness. As the smell of roasted meat filled the air, Ruka looked across the flames at Tohi. "We are very close to the Soi Wall now. Tomorrow, we cross back into Kasoi. Are you ready for it?"
Tohi stared into the fire, the dancing flames reflecting in his eyes. "Yeah... I was just thinking about it. That is the place where all of this started. Where my life ended."
A sudden, heavy snap of a branch echoed from the dark woods.
Before Tohi could even turn his head, a massive, twisted shadow lunged from the trees. A demon, its eyes glowing with unnatural hunger, sprang directly at them.
Tohi froze in shock, but Ruka didn't hesitate. Faster than the eye could follow, she spun around. With a sharp flick of her wrist, a heavy hunting knife flew from her hand and buried itself deep into the center of the demon's head. The beast crashed into the dirt at their feet, dead before it even hit the ground.
Tohi sat there, paralyzed by the sudden burst of violence. He looked at the dead monster, then up at Ruka, expecting her to look proud. Instead, her face was pale with dread.
She walked over and yanked her knife from the beast's skull. "This shouldn't have happened," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly.
"What?" Tohi asked, finding his voice.
"Demons don't attack us," Ruka said, looking out into the pitch-black forest. "To full demons, half-demons smell like their own kind. We are supposed to be safe out here. Something is wrong... what in the world has been happening to the demons since that attack on Kasoi?"
Hundreds of miles away, in the quiet, gilded corridors of Golden Sani, Victor stood hidden in the shadows outside the King's royal bedchamber. His eyes were fixed on the heavy oak doors, his mind carefully piecing together the treacherous idea he had formed.
Suddenly, a voice whispered from the darkness right behind him. It was disguised—deep, raspy, and chillingly cold. "You want to kill the King."
Victor's blood ran cold. He froze in shock, spinning around and instantly bowing his head to hide his panic. "No!" he lied quickly, trying to keep his voice steady. "I am merely checking the corridors. I am looking out for the King's protection."
"Oh?" the disguised voice pressed closer, laced with dark amusement. "And what type of protection requires the Head Minister to lurk in the shadows like an assassin?"
Victor paused. He recognized that playful, cruel rhythm. He slowly straightened up, exhaling a sharp breath as he looked into the dim light.
"Mai," Victor sighed, rubbing his temples to calm his racing heart. "What kind of joke is this? If the royal guards had heard you..."
Princess Mai stepped out of the shadows, her dark eyes gleaming with wicked delight. She dropped the fake voice, her face breaking into a bright, almost innocent smile.
"It's not a joke, Victor," she said happily, walking past him to look at her father's door. "I was just testing your nerves. And you are going to need them... because the perfect time to use your idea to kill my dad is finally approaching."
The Soi Wall loomed over them like a silent giant, its smooth stone surface stretching so high it seemed to pierce the heavy clouds. Up close, it was even more terrifying than Tohi remembered. There were no gates here, no ladders, and no way for a human—or even a demon—to scale its heights.
Tohi pulled his horse to a stop, looking up at the impossible barrier with a confused and worried face. "Ruka..." he whispered, his voice small against the vastness of the stone. "Please... tell me how we are supposed to get inside. We can't fly, and we certainly can't climb that."
Ruka gave a knowing smirk, her eyes scanning the base of the wall where the jagged rocks met the dirt. She hopped off her horse and walked toward a cluster of overgrown thorns and grey boulders.
"The King thinks his wall is perfect," she said, pulling back a heavy curtain of dead vines to reveal a narrow, jagged opening in the earth. "But even the strongest stone has secrets."
It was a hidden underground passage, a tunnel carved by water and widened by the DR over many years. It smelled of damp earth and old shadows.
Tohi stared into the dark hole, his heart thundering. "Oh my god..."
They led their horses through the cramped, suffocating dark of the tunnel. Minutes felt like hours, but suddenly, the air changed. The smell of wild forest was replaced by the faint, lingering scent of charcoal and ancient dust.
They stepped out of the tunnel and into the light. Tohi stood tall, looking out at the familiar horizon of his homeland. His eyes were no longer filled with the tears of a victim, but the fire of a warrior.
"I am ready," Tohi said, his voice steady and cold. "Let's go."