Kazan landed on a quiet stretch of road and walked the last distance to the Haruki house.“Why are you all outside the house? Is something bothering you?” Kazan asked everyone standing in front of his house.On the flight home, Kazan had seen families gathered in the streets. Now his own family stood outside, with Haoyue, Xinyue, and the guards.“There was an earthquake! We thought the house might collapse,” Kazane replied.“Why did it take you so long to come back, Nii-chan? Didn’t you feel the earthquake just now?” Rika asked Kazan.Kazan shook his head. Rika studied him, waiting for more, but he offered no explanation.“The shaking has stopped. Let’s go inside,” Kazan said.Xinyue, Haoyue, and Enjou looked toward the still roofs, listening for another tremor.Kazan went in first. When he noticed Arata was absent, he turned toward his teacher’s room.The others followed once the ground remained quiet. The guards stayed at their posts outside.Arata sat in meditation, his breathing sl

“Arata Sensei needs to stay to guard you and train Rika. I’ll ask Grandma Nozomi to help too. Commander Isamu can bring the kingdom’s knights together while I’m away.”“Queen Sena and I have discussed the kingdom’s defense while you’re away,” Isamu said. “But Black Star is already looking into your family. We’ve traced some of its members to a Three Flowers base. I want you to see it.”“Three Flowers alone should be within your reach now, Commander. You and Souta shouldn’t need me to dismantle one of its bases.”“No, that’s not what I meant! Several Black Star members are there, so I’m certain the organization is using that base!” replied Isamu.“Then we should strike today. Gather the troops and our strongest knights. I’ll go with you.” Kazan pushed back his chair.Isamu watched him rise. The young man was already looking toward the door before they had discussed an approach.“If Black Star is using that base, I don’t want to leave it untouched behind me.”His departure was set for th

Sand covered the broken buildings and lay in drifts between the trees.He searched for Ronan’s Ki. Nothing answered through the settling dust.The followers who had crowded the yard were gone too. Only torn beams and sand shifted where they had stood.“When did he get away?” Kazan looked back at the remains of the false body.He was about to rise and search from above when Isamu’s troops appeared between the trees. Kazan let the red transformation recede before meeting them.The soldiers slowed at the edge of the sand-covered clearing. A few looked back along the forest path, as though checking they had come to the right place.“Kazan! What is this? And where is everyone?” asked Isamu.“I’m sorry, Commander, I failed to capture one of them—it seems the opponent I faced possesses a unique ability!” said Kazan.“So they all escaped?” asked Isamu in disbelief.“That’s right, Commander! The person I faced seems to be from Hwangjeon, and he’s a master at controlling sand!”“A sand-controlle

“No, Commander. If we all die here, who will protect this kingdom in the future? Besides, I don’t want to die here either, so Commander, don’t worry about me!”Isamu was about to reply, but Kazan spoke up first.“Commander, it’s an honor to have known a knight like you; we’ll meet again someday!” said Kazan, leaving Isamu with his mouth agape, unable to utter a single word.Isamu looked at him for a long moment. He seemed about to speak, then swallowed the words.“All right, if you insist, but you have to promise you’ll defeat that Takeru. If not, I’ll curse you even in the afterlife!” said Isamu.“Good that you understand! That means you realize who the lion is and who the calf is,” said Takeru with a mocking smile.Isamu gripped the handle of his machete tightly, but Kazan patted him on the shoulder.“Don’t let his words get to you—

“Give me back that Bō!” Takeru shouted as he tried to attack and snatch the Golden Bō from Kazan’s hand.Kazan’s hand moved before he could decide how to answer. The Bō knocked Takeru’s reaching arm aside.Its tip drove toward the old man’s chest. Takeru caught it against his right palm, stopping the first thrust.The shaft pressed forward again, this time with a force Kazan had not supplied.Takeru skidded backward through the sand.He shook his right hand. It trembled, half-numb. How could the young man still strike like this after exhausting himself?He gathered Ki for another attack and felt the hollowed space in his reserves. The Bō had taken far more than a quarter of what he had left.His eyes returned to the dragon carving. He still wanted it.“Three-Colored Flower Stems!”Metal flashed between Takeru’s fingers. A spray of flower stems flew at Kazan, who spun