As they sat eating their lunch, the door slid open and Kasumi entered with Hana close behind her, both carrying trays laden with more food.
"Brothers, here, have some more!" Hana exclaimed cheerfully, setting the dishes down with a bright smile.
"Hana, make sure you eat as well," Ukichi said gently.
"No worries, big brother," Hana replied at once. "Sister Kasumi and I will eat together."
Hiroto then turned to Kasumi. "Where's your father? And the others?" he asked.
"They're tied up with some work," Kasumi answered. "He should be back soon." she smiles.
Ukichi gestured to the empty space beside him and said warmly, "Why don't you sit with us and eat?"
Hana's smile wavered, and she shook her head gently. "But big brother… I really want to eat with Sister Kasumi," she protested softly, her eyes sparkling with earnestness.
Uzin let out a small laugh. "Looks like you've taken a liking to Kasumi," he teased.
Hana's face brightened, and she nodded eagerly. "Yes! I really like her. I've always wanted an older sister."
Uzin's grin widened, genuine and approving. "That's wonderful to hear."
Before the moment could stretch further, Mr. Minoru's calm voice interjected, carrying quiet authority. "When is your next mission scheduled?"
"We're still awaiting orders," Ukichi replied with a respectful tone, to which Mr. Minoru gave a small nod in acknowledgment, and the quiet of the meal returned, settling over the room as everyone resumed eating in silence…
Later that evening, in a small camp filled with steel swords and sharpening tools, Hiroto and Kageru worked diligently, the scrape of blades against whetstones filling the air. Uzin stood nearby, observing their movements with a faint smile.
Kageru's fingers drummed impatiently against the hilt of his sword. "I can't wait for our next mission. Any guesses on what it might be?"
Hiroto shrugged, his tone flat and unconcerned. "Why the excitement? It's probably just another mundane task."
Uzin chuckled softly, giving them an encouraging glance. "Don't lose hope guys. A real mission will come our way soon."
"Yeah," Kageru said with a grin. "After all, it's only been three months since we joined the ranks as assassins."
Hiroto closely observed the blade he was forging. "Yeah, I'm eager for that day to arrive." he said flatly.
Suddenly, Ukichi burst into the room, his footsteps sharp. "Uzin, prepare yourself. We're heading to the royal castle."
"The royal castle? But for what?" Uzin asked, brow furrowed.
Ukichi shook his head slightly, a hint of seriousness in his tone. "I'm not sure. But I guess The King Sugiyama has some orders for us."
Kageru's eyes sparkled with excitement. "That sounds amazing! I want to go too."
"You and Hiroto are staying here," Ukichi stated firmly. Then, turning to Uzin, he added, "Hurry up. I'll be waiting outside."
With a nod, Uzin left for his room to change, while Ukichi stepped out, leaving Hiroto and Kageru behind.
Kageru let out a soft sigh. "Ah… I was really hoping to go along."
Hiroto gave him a reassuring smile. "You know how it is. It's Ukichi's call. Let's just focus on what we have to do here."
Though a hint of disappointment lingered, Kageru returned to his tasks, steadying himself.
Hiroto offered a gentle, reassuring smile. "Don't be disheartened," he said. "Everything Ukichi and Uzin do, they do as captain and vice captain, It's all part of their duties."
Kageru stayed silent, fully absorbed in his work, his focus unbroken. Hiroto, in turn, carried on with his tasks, his calm smile never fading, a quiet confidence that seemed to steady the room…
Inside the Royal Castle. The announcement echoed through the halls,
"Presenting the captains and vice-captains of Sugiyama's Assassin Squad."
"The Captain of the Ninth-Ranked Assassins, Ukichi Minamoto, and his Vice-Captain, Uzin Minamoto."
Standing side by side, Ukichi and Uzin bowed deeply, paying their respects to the king seated upon his throne.
"The Captain of the Eighth-Ranked Assassins, Haku Naoto, accompanied by the Vice-captain, Kenshin Shiba"
Haku and Kenshin, both clad in assassin attire, were standing side by side before bowing deeply, paying their respects to the king seated upon his throne.
"The Captain of the Seventh-Ranked Assassins, Kozan Akiyama, along with Vice-captain Genko Akiyama"
Kozan and Genko, both tall and imposing in their assassin attire, stood together, bowing respectfully, acknowledging the king seated upon his throne.
"The Captain of the Sixth-Ranked Assassins, Jikai Kamiyama, accompanied by Vice-captain Kin Jin"
Jikai and Jin, tall and powerful, radiating a serious, commanding aura stood side by side, bowing deeply to the king upon his throne.
"The Captain of the Fifth-Rank Assassins, Benjiro Imamura, accompanied by Vice-captain Yukio Isobe"
Benjiro and Yukio, small in stature but exuding a commanding presence, stood together, bowing respectfully to the king seated upon his throne.
"The Captain of the Fourth-Ranked Assassins, Saburo Kabawata, and the Vice-captain Rei Tsuda"
Saburo and Rei stood tall and imposing, their powerful presence unmistakable as they bowed respectfully to the king.
"The Captain of the Third-Ranked Assassins, Daichi Shibata, accompanied by Vice-captain Ryozo Mizuno"
Daichi and Ryozo loomed tall and strong, cloaked in hoods that added to their heavy, commanding presence as they bowed to the king.
"The Captain of the Second-Ranked Assassins, Shoichi Kimura, accompanied by Vice-captain Miyoshi Hamada"
Shoichi and Miyoshi stood tall and formidable, each radiating a different kind of power as they bowed to the king, their presence impossible to ignore.
"Now the pillars of Sugiyama Kingdom, Masatoshi Morikawa, Captain of the Top-ranked Assassin squad, alongside his Vice-captain Takeshi Morikawa."
Masatoshi and Takeshi loomed over the others, their towering forms radiating a dark, oppressive aura that seemed to swallow the air itself, they bowed to the king.
All assassins stood in formation before the King Sugiyama, a disciplined display of respect.
"I, King Sugiyama, welcome all the Assassins here in the Castle." the King's voice thundered through the hall, echoing against the stone walls.
He paused, letting the weight of his words settle over the gathered warriors, before continuing with grim resolve. "I regret to inform you that we have suffered a betrayal by one of our own traders. In the result of betrayal, The Fujis, known for their ruthless tactics and elusive nature, have enslaved our traders along with a substantial amount of Sugiyama gold and precision diamonds. Reports suggest that the Fujis may be operating near the Kei Kingdoms. One of our traitorous traders was seen with that group."
"As the king of sugiyama kingdom, I hereby command the Fifth-Ranked Assassins to go after Fujis, retrieve our assets, and ensure the safe return of our traders." King Sugiyama concluded.
"I oppose your decision!"
The declaration tore through the solemn air of the castle like a blade, shattering the fragile calm in an instant.
The one who dared to speak was Masatoshi Morikawa, the leader of the top-ranked assassins, a man whose name alone carried the weight of fear and reverence.
Gasps rippled through the assembly. Nobles stiffened, assassins exchanged tense glances, whispers died before they could fully form. A suffocating silence followed.
All eyes were fixed on Masatoshi, who stood unmoved, his presence heavy and unyielding, as if challenging not just the decree, but the authority of the throne itself.
Masatoshi Morikawa slowly lifted his head with deliberate menace, revealing his face carved with grim resolve and sharp severity, dark long hair cascading over his broad shoulders like shadows. A jagged scar ran from his cheek down to his chest, a brutal testament to battles survived and pain endured.
"I want the 9th-ranked—the Minamotos—to undertake this mission," Masatoshi declared, his voice loud yet eerily composed.
A ripple of disbelief surged through the castle halls, whispers of doubt and speculation spreading like wildfire among the nobles. Eyes widened, hearts skipped, and the weight of his words settled over them like a blade poised to strike.
A slow, sinister smile curved across Masatoshi's lips.
"That is exactly what I'm trying to say my majesty." he replied calmly, his tone sending a chill through the hall,
His gaze hardened, merciless. "Assassins who cannot wield wrath magic are nothing but dead weight. Disband their squad. If they lack the power to embrace wrath, then they are unworthy of being called assassins."
""I accept this mission!"
The words rang out like thunder, shattering the stunned silence, spoken with unwavering authority by none other than Ukichi Minamoto.
All eyes in the hall—nobles and leaders of assassins alike—swiveled toward him, disbelief and intrigue warring across their faces.
Ukichi and Uzin stood tall side by side, arms folded behind their backs, radiating an aura of unshakable confidence.