As the wind caught them and carried them down slowly, Sai descended cradling his black cat while the breeze supported him with deceptive gentleness. When their feet touched the grass, Sai immediately prostrated himself and began kissing the ground with theatrical exaggeration, touching the grass he hadn't felt in years.
Monsler, who had landed on his feet as a matter of course, had already started walking.
"Heyyy, Monsler! Where are you going? Take me with you!"
Monsler turned without stopping. "Forget about me carrying you, idiot. Get on your feet and follow me, we've been late enough."
And in the blink of an eye, Sai was already several meters ahead of him, doing some light warm-up stretches and extending his arms as he waited for Monsler to catch up.
"Heyyy, Monsler! Where's the nearest lake?"
Monsler pointed to the left. And before he could say another word, Sai vanished. He returned seconds later saying: "Right, I covered roughly a full kilometer in that direction, and even at the farthest point I found nothing."
Monsler sighed. "Come on. You just want to show off your speed. How fast are you actually, anyway?"
"I don't know exactly. The last time it was measured, a few months back, it had reached four hundred kilometers per hour. And I haven't killed anyone since then, so I assume it's stayed the same — if my theory holds."
"Why do you even want the lake?"
"To wash my face."
Monsler stopped dead from the sheer shock. *Sai... washing his face? What kind of joke is this?*
Sai looked annoyed and tapped his head. "And who do you think I am? I'm your big brother in the end."
Monsler didn't particularly care. "Come on, follow me. There's a lake nearby, you can even bathe in it if you want."
"Fine."
---
They walked together. And as they went, Monsler asked without looking at him:
"Hey Sai, by the way — do you know how you first discovered the rule behind your power?"
"Yes, of course. That's the one thing I'll never forget for as long as I live. The first time I killed someone... what was his name... hmm."
"Boulkor. Right?"
"Oh, yes. I remember now." Sai was quiet for a moment, then spoke in a tone quieter than usual. "Everything that happened was sudden and shocking, even for me. I think you were far too young to understand what went on at the time. That day, our father had left the village, and while our mother was away from us, she left us playing with the neighbors' children using wooden swords — we were still children then. And while I was sparring with one of the kids, I accidentally struck him hard in the eye. He was an orphan boy that Master Kenji had raised after the elders executed his father when they caught him trying to flee the village without permission. Our father had warned everyone against laying a hand on that child — but this child in particular was Boulkor. So those scoundrels found a way: after telling the elders what happened, they took us both to a closed dueling ground in someone's courtyard and gave each of us a real, heavy sword. I was seven years old and you were four. Each of us held our sword not knowing what we were doing, and then one of the men told us that samurai settle their disputes with a real duel. And while I thought all of this was still some kind of game, I struck the boy toward his face... and split him in two."
Sai went quiet. The wind walked alongside them.
"While I was covered in blood, not understanding what was happening, my father arrived. He drove everyone away and held me. Everyone who witnessed it claimed to have been a mere bystander, and the culprit was never identified because I couldn't remember his face through the shock. And no one defends Boulkor's rights because his parents are dead, and Kenji didn't actually witness it. To hell with those senile elders." Sai paused, then continued: "After that, you know the rest of the story. Little by little, the village's training grew harsher and harsher, especially for us two. By the time I reached ten and you were seven, I and many of the other children were forced to fight to the death. But for some reason, I was slightly faster than them — and that small margin let me kill them one after another. And with each person I killed, killing the next became easier, and the guilt faded bit by bit, until I felt that killing was just a game. And I had played it so much I'd completed it and tried every version of it. After that I understood my rule — which you and I both know — which is: the more people I kill, the greater my physical speed becomes. That's how I reached roughly peak wind speed today. And thanks to that, I withdrew from training and started skipping most sessions except the mandatory ones, because I'm simply stronger than everyone without any effort. I remained a prisoner of my room, which represents my other world — the world of gam—"
"Hahahaha!" Monsler's laugh cut him off at full volume. "And who told you that you're stronger than everyone without any effort? Don't even think you can surpass me. While you were out there killing and coming back to bed, I was doing hundreds of reps to build my body. As for you, you weakling — you couldn't even pull yourself up when you almost fell off the island. It is *I* — not you — who was destined to become the seventy-seventh leader. And even if I don't have any power, my willpower is without doubt stronger than your dead willpower. Know this — what truly determines a samurai's worth is his heart and his will, and then his strength. I doubt you could bear the responsibility of leadership, or that you even want it."
Sai looked ahead. "Yeah, yeah, who cares? I think we've arrived. Isn't that our father waving at us?"
"Don't interrupt me when I'm in the middle of a senten—"
And before he could finish, Sai had already hoisted him onto his back, snapped his fingers, and launched forward at speed toward their father.
---
Upon arriving, Sai dumped Monsler aside, set Shadow down on the ground, asked his mother to feed the cat, then asked about the lake. His father pointed behind him, and Sai shot off in that direction at speed.
Upon arriving, he leaned toward the water and reached in eagerly.
He jolted in place from the cold of the water.
Then — slowly — the picture clarified in the still surface. The sky's reflection in the water. He stared at it, then turned over and raised his eyes upward, and said quietly:
"Oh. I'd nearly forgotten the thing I used to love most before I discovered video games... contemplating the night sky."
---
A sky unlike any sky.
Not one moon, but three: white, green, and pink — all three swimming in a sea of violet stars. But what drew his gaze more than anything else was...
Sai said it himself, staring up at it: *"THE NULL."*
An enormous black hole covering a vast sector of the sky with its darkness, appearing like the sun but ten times its size, surrounded by a thin white halo of light, emitting a faint hum that could be heard clearly in that existential silence.
Sai looked right and saw the moons. Left and saw the stars. And behind him, as he turned — saw the black hole filling the horizon.
Then he forgot himself entirely.
He sprawled on the grass he hadn't touched in ages, and with him sprawled the thread of his imagination, and thousands of unanswerable questions scattered through his mind:
*Why does the sky look like this? Does this black hole appear in the daytime too? Why doesn't it just swallow us? What would happen if it did? Why don't its radiations kill us? Is that because of some supernatural force? Is there actually supernatural energy in this world? How does it work? And why don't samurai possess it? Who are samurai really? And where is the Japan they're known for? Are we on planet Earth? And if not, what happened to the real Earth? What is the name of our planet? How did we get here? How long has it been since we arrived? How are we samurai who fight with swords and yet we have phones and computers? Is there technology in the outside world? What does this outside world even look like? Does it truly contain demons? What do those demons look like and what are their abilities? Why wasn't I taught this in school? Why didn't I go to school in the first place? Why? Why? Why don't I know? Me? And who am I, really?*
Silence lasting a few moments.
Then Sai stood and said:
"Yes. There is much I don't know about the world beyond my village." He looked at the black hole one last time. "So it seems to me that the time for my story to begin has come. Starting tomorrow, I'll try to begin exploring this world. My goal is to answer every question in my mind, and to understand the reason and purpose for my existence. Then if I can — I'll carry it out. I'll gain many friends, and I'll roam the world, and I'll go on hundreds of adventures with them. I'll find a beautiful love and marry her. And I'll become an amazing father... better than my own father."
"Better than me?" A voice from behind him. "I don't think so. Coming from a slacker like you."
Sai turned to find Atomic behind him with his usual smile. He said directly: "Have you realized now the size of the world you know nothing about — outside your computer?"
Sai replied after a pause: "Yes. You're right this time, Dad. I think I was wrong, even if only a little. I never cared about anything else since I was born — I knew the world through a screen and the village alone. And because of that lethal indifference I became someone ignorant of anything real, who doesn't even think about how to live his own life."
"Unlike Djiles..." said Atomic. "Do you remember him?"
"D-Djiles? Ohhhhh, Djiles! Yes, that handsome guy with the white hair — my old friend. Where is he now? I haven't seen him in six years."
Atomic laughed. "He's training at the Palace of Light, thinking he's catching up to your development — while you're actually asleep in your room. He's sixteen, same as you, and he's one of your relatives — Reidence's son."
"Who is this Reidence, remind me?"
Atomic laughed hard. "Aaahh. You're so ignorant. Is there really a human being who doesn't know the King of Humans, the King of Light — Reidence Luceria? You truly don't remember him?"
Sai tried tapping his head to remember, then said: "Nah. And who cares?"
Lilith stepped forward before Atomic could speak. "He is my older brother, as you know. Have you forgotten those stories I used to tell you at bedtime when you were small? About the two brothers who opened Anthorland?"
"Oh, of course I remember them. Isn't that just a fictional story?"
Lilith smiled. "And who said so? That is a true story. The story of the two founding brothers, Reidence and Lucas. And you yourself are descended from Lucas — his eleventh-generation descendant."
"Woahhh... the eleventh? But is Reidence still alive?"
Monsler replied from behind him: "Yes, still alive. And he's stronger than any other being. He's the one person I dream of surpassing someday — though that won't be difficult for someone as great as me!"
Sai gave a dismissive laugh, then turned to his mother. "Doesn't that mean he's very, very old?"
"Yes, of course. He's over two centuries old."
Sai was stunned. "Two centuries?! Are you serious?"
"Absolutely."
Sai was silent for a few seconds, as if thinking. Then he drew closer to his mother's face, stared at her, and said with complete naturalness: "But Dad has more wrinkles than you, given that you're an old wom—"
A punch from Lilith of tremendous force that pressed his face into the earth.
And he lost consciousness entirely.
---
After some unknown amount of time, Sai woke in his mother's embrace. He lifted his head and found he had been sleeping across her legs. He looked right and found Monsler eating meat from a dish before him ravenously. He looked left and found his father doing the same, leaning against a tree. He raised his eyes and found the tree was remarkable — it had pure white leaves that drifted down with every gust of wind.
He looked around and found himself at the top of a hill amid endless green meadows, the night still and quiet around them.
He lay back down against his mother's lap, raised his eyes toward her, and apologized sincerely. She accepted his apology and warned him never to make such remarks in front of any other elder — she said the world was full of people like her, and not all of them were kind. These were known as **the Ala'a** — singular: *Aali*, meaning "the Elevated" — replacing the term "the Miraculous" — beings born with power that usually surpasses all other creatures, and whose lives span vast ages.
Sai nodded to show he understood. He was quiet for a few moments.
"Hey, Mom, did you leave me my share of the food?"
"Yes, of course. It's probably gone cold though."
Sai lifted it sadly to eat — but his mother took it from him, let her hands shimmer for a few seconds over the meal, then returned it to him warm.
He stared at her, astonished. "Mom... when did you get this power? Have you had a supernatural ability this whole time and never told me?"
"Umm... yes. Didn't you know?"
"Well. No, actually." Sai sighed. "I apologize. I've been starting to understand lately just how ignorant and worthless I am. I don't even know what use a person like me is in a world he knows nothing about."
Monsler tapped his head. "Hey — don't make our family's worth any lower than it already is. You are, in the end, destined to be my deputy after I become leader. So pull yourself together — because I will not let you drift away from me whatever happens. I'll make you my personal guard and drag you along wherever I go. I'll show you hell on earth before you die."
Sai smiled. "Fine then. Since it's a request from my dear little brother."
Monsler was embarrassed and looked away. "Fine... and since I'll be the leader, I may allow you the choice to go to the Academy, where Djiles is — to train under Reidence. That would be better for... for me. Yes, that's purely in my own interest. I want you to become useful to me, not because I want you to start a new life or anything like that."
Loud laughter filled the silence of the night.
"Hahahaha! You really are terrible at lying, Monsler."
"Yes, truly." Sai added. "A failed tsundere little brother. Male tsunderes are rare enough as it is."
Monsler's face went red. "Tsun-what? Is that the name of one of the demon kings or something?"
Sai blinked. "Wow. Are there actually multiple demon kings?"
Atomic stepped in to continue where Sai had left off — he told him he would learn everything soon at school like the rest of humanity, and that he would not allow those mad elders to keep his family from living a normal life. Not every human born in this village was a slave to it.
Monsler said with pride: "Yes. I'll change this corrupt system. Unlike you, you failed leader, Atomic."
Atomic smiled. He lay back against the tree beside his sword, contemplated the sky, and said with a quiet that carried the weight of one who has lived and known:
"Sai, Monsler. Listen carefully to what I'm about to say. From tomorrow, you will no longer be mere children. From tomorrow, each of you is a man with full responsibilities. Your lives will last only a few precious days before you outgrow them — so always remember me when you feel fear. Whatever happens on any given day, you will leave this world behind. So *live* a life you will remember. A life you are proud of. A life that history writes in lines of gold. Perhaps I myself could not do that — but at least I provided you with every foundation needed to do it in my place. Carve this into your hearts: the three values of the samurai are Honor, Will, and Freedom. By these we live and by these we die. And always remember that all men are brothers — whatever your gender or your history, you will remain my brother first and last. For we are all brothers in fate. And now —" He looked at them both. "Promise me that no matter which of you wins tomorrow, you will remain brothers."
The two brothers looked at each other in confusion, neither quite understanding all that had been said. But they understood one question, and their answer was one:
"Yes, we promise!"
Then, after a brief silence, they said together:
"...Which winner?"
---
After that, Atomic explained.
"Alright. It's time to say everything. I didn't bring you here without reason — this entire trip was to tell you that tomorrow, exactly, a combat tournament will be held between all the village's children between the ages of twelve and eighteen. The winner will be appointed as the next leader in training — learning everything required to succeed me after my term ends, or in the worst case, my death. This is a direct decree from King Reidence, to give everyone a chance and to deliver justice. While he trusts that one of you will be the winner, he refuses to allow injustice. And whichever of you loses has lost nothing — they will instead gain a completely different life, with its own rewards, away from the village: the elite corps at the Palace of Light. Is that understood?"
Sai replied: "...Fine. Who cares?"
And Monsler replied: "Obviously. That is exactly where Sai belongs. As for me — my place is precisely on the throne, isn't it?"
Sai lay back down and said: "Yeah, probably. I'll let you win. I don't care."
---
At that, Atomic stood. He took up his sword, drew it from its scabbard, then drove it into the heart of the tree from above — into the white leaves and the silence — and said:
"And here is the sword. Let the seventy-seventh Samurai Leader draw it from the tree. Who I hope will be the last."
Monsler responded with excitement he couldn't hide: "Just wait for me, sword. You are mine."
---
Sai lay back and decided to sleep under the open sky. The family went along with his decision and they all slept outside that night.
And before Sai closed his eyes, he glimpsed a sadness in his mother's eyes — as if she had not fully accepted what was to come tomorrow.
He thought to himself: *Why is she sad? I don't want my mother to be sad. My family are the only people whose happiness I care about. But is Mom's happiness more important than Monsler's? Yes, probably. So — I'll win and make her happy. I think that's the better choice. Probably Monsler will cry a little then accept it and head off to the Academy. And I'll go back to my room. Everything the same, but the only difference is the title of leader with me. That's the easiest path, right?*
And he finally drifted off, telling himself: *Yeah, probably.*
And his dreams carried him far away...