Chapter no.34: Mom

"Fuck you, Rika," Kozen muttered under his breath, his voice barely audible over the sound of his own heartbeat. Just twenty minutes ago, he'd been sleeping, and now he was trapped inside a box filled with sand. There was no door—literally, it was like someone had welded metal panels together. A note was attached to his chest, and it took all his effort not to rip it off in frustration.

"This is a test. Get out. —Rika"

Kozen's eyes twitched as he read the note. When the fuck did Rika turn into Jigsaw? He thought bitterly. The situation only got worse when he heard a metallic clang, followed by the unmistakable rush of water. It sounded like a pipe somewhere had burst, and water was already seeping into the sand, quickly turning it into thick, heavy mud.

Kozen felt a flash of irritation, but panic didn't even register. 

He was beyond it at this point. 

Panic won't do shit, he reminded himself as he scanned the walls for any hint of an escape route. He moved his fingers over the metal panels, feeling for any seam or latch, but it was smooth, like the surface of a sealed tomb. The sand beneath him shifted with the rising water, turning into a dense sludge that sucked at his legs.

"Okay," he muttered to himself, "deal with the water first."

Kozen focused on where the water was coming from—a seven-inch-wide pipe near the bottom of the box. Without hesitating, he stripped off his shirt and packed it with as much sand and mud as he could before stuffing it into the opening. He crammed in more mud to seal it off, stopping the flow for now. The sand shifted beneath him, and he fought the sinking feeling—both literally and figuratively.

Think, Kozen, think, he told himself, trying to push down the exhaustion that was clouding his thoughts. I was thrown in here, so there must be an opening. Unless Rika's gone full psycho and is trying to kill me. The absurdity of the thought made him snort, a bitter laugh escaping him despite everything. He felt too tired, too numb, and too angry to take this situation seriously anymore. He'd waited so long for answers, and instead, he got a deathtrap.

In a burst of frustration, Kozen threw a punch against the metal wall. The impact sent a dull vibration through the box, rattling up his arm and into his chest. He felt the reverberation in his bones—a low, deep hum that seemed to echo the anger simmering inside him. And then, an idea struck him. He immediately turned back to the pipe, pulling out the makeshift plug and letting the water start flooding the box again.

He watched as the water rose, slowly but steadily climbing past his ankles, his knees, and then up to his waist. He took a deep breath and sealed the pipe again, this time waiting to see if the water would drain. It did—slowly, but enough for him to confirm his suspicion. Okay, so there's an opening in this box, he thought, feeling a small spark of hope amidst the haze of exhaustion.

Kozen inhaled deeply, steeling himself before plunging underwater to search for the opening. He expected it to be on one of the walls, but after feeling around blindly for several seconds, he discovered it wasn't there. Instead, he saw some water escaping from the floor.

So that's what the sand was for. Kozen thought.

As the water drained away, he stood there, thinking. Why didn't my weight cause the panel to open? He wondered. Maybe the panel can hold more weight than just me. Or maybe Rika's watching and wants to see if I'll figure it out. He glanced around, half-expecting to spot a hidden camera in some corner, but the walls remained smooth and featureless.

"Let's find out," he muttered, formulating a plan. He began shoving sand toward the center of the box, piling it directly over the seam he'd found. He didn't stop until most of the sand was in a dense heap in the middle of the floor. Then, with the walls now more exposed, Kozen leapt to the corner like he was Spiderman, planting his feet against the walls to keep himself suspended.

For a few tense moments, nothing happened. But then, he heard it—a faint hissing sound, like gas escaping under pressure. He held his breath as the sound grew louder, and then, with a sudden metallic clang, the panel beneath the sand swung open. The sand poured out in a heavy cascade, followed by a loud splash as it hit the water below.

Kozen stayed pressed against the walls, watching the last of the sand drain away. He couldn't help but feel a twisted sense of triumph. 

Kozen grabbed the edge of the metal door and dangled out into the open air. He looked down to see that the box was suspended by a crane, held high above a dark, murky lake. For a brief moment, vertigo hit him, but he pushed it aside and steadied himself. He glanced over and saw Rika sitting in the crane's driver seat, her eyes fixed on him. Without hesitation, he let go and dropped into the water below.

The impact jolted his body, and cold water enveloped him as he plunged deep into the lake. He kicked up to the surface and took a breath, wiping water from his eyes as he looked up at the crane. Rika had lowered the box down near the water's edge, and he could finally see the motorized tube attached to it that had filled the box with water.

"Congratulations!" Rika called out, her voice carrying over the water. "You passed the test perfectly. You stayed calm, maintained your breath, and escaped." She brought the box down completely and hopped out, striding over to where Kozen was dragging himself onto the shore. She reached out her hand to help him up. "Come on, let's go. We still have so much training left to do."

But Kozen didn't budge. His limbs were heavy, his body exhausted not just from the physical strain but from everything leading up to this moment. He stared at Rika's outstretched hand and felt something snap inside him.

"I'm done," he said, the words coming out sharper than he intended. He saw the flicker of surprise in Rika's eyes, but it didn't change how he felt.

"No," Rika said, disbelief lacing her voice. "You can't be serious."

Kozen didn't respond. He turned and began to walk away, his footsteps squelching in the wet mud. He didn't get far before he felt Rika's grip on his arm, pulling him back. Without thinking, he spun and lashed out with a punch. Rika dodged, but his fist connected with the side of the crane, leaving a noticeable dent in the metal. He didn't care.

"I'm done," he repeated, the words firm and final.

Rika shook her head, still in shock. "You can't be… just done."

"Why can't I?" he demanded, frustration boiling over. "Why do I have to go through this hell? For the last damn month, I've barely felt alive. Every single day was another stupid, meaningless struggle."

"It isn't meaningless," Rika insisted, her voice wavering slightly.

"It is to me!" Kozen shot back, his voice rising. He saw her flinch at the intensity, but he didn't care. He was at his limit. "It's meaningless to me because you never told me a damn thing. I've been waiting for answers all this time, so if you want me to even consider continuing—"

He cut himself off, shaking his head and turning away. He began walking back towards the farm, his shoulders tense with suppressed anger. He barely made it a few steps before he heard her voice, soft and almost pleading.

"Trust me," Rika said, the words barely more than a whisper.

Kozen stopped in his tracks. He felt something twist inside him, a painful knot of frustration and betrayal. He closed his eyes, took a breath, and turned to face her. "Trust works both ways…" He paused, the next word catching in his throat. It felt strange to say, but he needed to. He needed her to understand. "Mom."

Rika's eyes widened, her expression shifting from disbelief to something else—something fragile, like she was seeing him for the first time. Kozen held her gaze, letting her see the weight of everything he'd been holding in. He needed her to know her place in his heart, and that every ounce of trust he had was given to her, and her alone. But if she couldn't trust him in return, then he couldn't keep going.

The silence between them was heavy, almost suffocating, but it was the truth laid bare. Kozen didn't know what would come next, but for now, he'd said all he needed to say.

Kozen tried not to show his disappointment as Rika stayed silent. She didn't respond, didn't say a word to his ultimatum, and just stood there as he walked away. The silence felt heavier than the long days of training. He kept moving, not looking back, feeling an unfamiliar emptiness creep in where resolve had been.

As evening settled in, Kozen went through the motions of making a meal. He'd had enough of those tasteless, powdered meals Rika insisted on for the sake of efficiency. Just the act of eating something real—something he made with his own hands—felt grounding. He focused on each step, each little detail, trying to block out the thoughts gnawing at him.

After dinner, he grabbed one of Takashi's magazines and headed to the bathroom. 

A long, hot bath was just what he needed to clear his head. As he soaked in the warmth, he checked his phone. Notifications were minimal, like always, until a message caught his eye—one from Rei.

The text was urgent and shaky:

Kozen, pls I need your help. I'm currently in that house of that creep who tried to run us over. You're the closest to my location—pls help. I'm at this location.

Kozen didn't even take a second to think. He jumped out of the bath, water sloshing over the edge, and grabbed his clothes. 

He wasn't going there to save Rei. 

Fuck no, he thought, yanking on his pants. This was about revenge. That guy who tried to run him over… a living, breathing punching bag. Something he could use to release the pent-up frustration and anger that had been building during all those hellish training sessions. He slipped his shirt over his head, his mind already focused on what he planned to do.

As he checked his phone again, another message from Rei came in. This one included an audio clip, her voice still ragged from crying but steadier than before. 

"Hey, Kozen," she said, "Update—so I kinda knocked out the asshole, and I was wondering if you wanted to help me with this guy. You know, a little good old conversation with your fists and my foot up his ass. What do you say?"

Kozen couldn't help but let out a short laugh. Okay, this cements it, he thought, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. Rei is awesome. He finished dressing and grabbed his phone, slipping it into his pocket.

He glanced around, checking to see if Rika had returned. There was no sign of her, just the empty house and the lingering silence she left behind. 

Kozen didn't leave a note. It didn't feel necessary. He pulled up the location Rei sent him on Google Maps. Okay, I can run there in about ten minutes, he calculated, taking one last look around before slipping out into the night.

The cold air hit his face, sharp and refreshing, as he broke into a run.

Author Note: More chapters on P@treon.com/LordCampione.