Chapter 6: A Reckless Pursuit

Kazuki and Takeshi arrived at the bustling streets of the nearby kingdom after a long ride with a kind farmer who had offered them a lift. They expressed their gratitude to the farmer and bid him farewell, now venturing through the crowded streets of the kingdom. Takeshi led the way, navigating through the bustling throngs of people, while Kazuki followed closely behind.

In the midst of the chaotic crowd, Kazuki unintentionally bumped into a young boy. Startled, the boy quickly apologized and continued on his way, veering into a hidden alley away from the bustling streets. Unbeknownst to Kazuki, the boy had managed to pickpocket him, taking a pouch of money. The boy's eyes widened with anticipation as he opened the pouch, only to find a handful of pebbles inside. Disappointed and feeling foolish, he let out a sigh of regret.

As the boy lamented his misfortune, a voice to his left caught his attention."Looks like you fell for my little trick",startled, the child turned their gaze to find Kazuki standing beside them.

Chuckling softly, Kazuki leaned against the wall, his voice dripping with amusement. "You know, stealing from strangers can be quite risky business."

Fear washed over him, and in a panicked attempt to escape, he dashed back into the crowded street,in his haste the child collided with one of the kingdom's guards. With trepidation, the child looked up, only to realize they had run into one of the kingdom's cruelest guards.

In a mixture of fear and desperation, the child tried to apologize, his voice trembling. "I'm... I'm so sorry, sir. It was an accident."

The guard scowled, his voice laced with contempt as he sneered down at the child. "A peasant like you has no right to touch me".The guard's fist clenched, poised to strike the defenseless child, but just in the nick of time, Kazuki intercepted, catching the guard's wrist and halting the punch. Confusion filled Kazuki's voice as he questioned the guard's intentions. "Why were you trying to strike the boy after he apologized?"

The guard sneered, his voice dripping with contempt. "I'm sorry, I don't speak the language of peasants," he retorted with a dismissive smirk before releasing a powerful punch with his free hand, sending Kazuki hurtling into a nearby shop. The impact rattled the building, causing Kazuki to slump to the ground, surrounded by a cloud of dust and debris.

The boy watched in horror as Kazuki crashed into the shop, the impact reverberating through the street.

As the guard moved to leave, his eyes caught sight of the necklace adorning the child's neck—a precious memento left by their late grandfather.With a wicked grin, the guard reached out and snatched the necklace from the boy's trembling form. "Consider this a price for your insolence" he sneered, relishing in the boy's despair.

Tears welled in the child's eyes as he clutched at his empty neck, his last connection to his departed grandfather cruelly taken away. Self-blame consumed him, his mind tormented by thoughts of cowardice and regret.

Suddenly, a voice broke through his despair,"Man... that punch was really strong" Kazuki praised, a smirk playing on his lips. "It almost knocked me out.".The boy's eyes widened in astonishment as Kazuki approached him. He struggled to find words, amazed at Kazuki's resilience and jovial attitude. Kazuki walked up to the boy and asked, "Where did that guard go?"

Caught off guard, the boy instinctively pointed towards the towering castle at the heart of the kingdom,without fully considering the consequences,his voice barely a whisper. "He went there... to the castle."

Kazuki, without a word, set his sights on the castle and began to make his way there, his determination unwavering.

Concerned and bewildered, the boy found his voice again. "Wait! Why are you doing this?" he exclaimed, his tone filled with incredulity. "The guards will kill you!"

Kazuki remained silent, a flicker of determination gleaming in his eyes. The child couldn't comprehend his silence, labeling him as crazy and warning him of the impending danger that awaited within the castle walls. But Kazuki paid no heed, marching forward with unwavering resolve.

The boy regarded Kazuki with a mixture of admiration and disbelief. He couldn't understand Kazuki's unwavering resolve to confront the guards and retrieve the stolen necklace. However, a newfound courage surged within him, and he made up his mind to follow Kazuki's lead.

Kazuki, marching forward with purpose, glanced back at the boy with a mysterious smile,"You're crazy," the boy stated, a hint of admiration coloring his voice. "But I won't let you face this alone".

Kazuki's grin widened, and he clapped the boy on the shoulder. "That's the spirit!".

With their determination firmly in place, Kazuki and the boy made their way toward the castle entrance.As they arrived at the castle gate, they found the guard seated on a wooden crate, intently studying the necklace he had taken. Sensing their presence, the guard looked up with an air of arrogance, questioning whether Kazuki's endurance was genuine or if he had merely been taking it easy.

A mischievous grin spread across Kazuki's face as he retorted, "Why don't you try and find out?"

With a surge of determination, the guard rose from his seat, a twisted smile playing upon his lips. He declared that this time he would punch Kazuki's brain right out of his body, his arrogance seeping into every word. In a flurry of movement, the guard lunged toward Kazuki, aiming to deliver a devastating blow. But Kazuki effortlessly sidestepped the attack, allowing the punch to crash into the ground, causing it to shatter.

Undeterred, Kazuki retaliated with a swift kick aimed at the guard's face. To his surprise, the guard showed no signs of feeling the impact. With a smirk, he taunted Kazuki, claiming that it would take more than that to hurt him. With astonishing strength, the guard gripped Kazuki's leg, suspending him in mid-air.

Kazuki's mind raced as he realized the guard was utilizing the energy of his blessing to enhance his entire body. Faced with an opponent of such formidable strength, Kazuki knew he needed to think strategically. As the guard attempted to punch him in the chest, Kazuki instinctively guarded himself by crossing his arms, but the force of the blow sent him hurtling backward.

The guard lauded Kazuki's endurance, acknowledging that a normal person would have been knocked out with the first punch. Despite the odds stacked against him, Kazuki assumed a fighting stance, his determination shining through.

Amused, the guard scoffed, questioning Kazuki's intelligence for persisting in the face of such overwhelming strength. However, Kazuki remained silent, delving deep into his thoughts, searching for a way to overcome this seemingly insurmountable challenge. Suddenly, a memory flashed through his mind—the trial Takeshi had put him through, and the lessons he had imparted.

Kazuki steeled himself, focusing his energy and channeling it through his body. The guard, unaware of Kazuki's revelation, charged forward, attempting another punch. But Kazuki moved with extraordinary agility, evading each strike effortlessly.

Frustration etched across the guard's face as he berated Kazuki for his evasiveness, warning him that he couldn't dodge forever. Unbeknownst to the guard, Kazuki's mind was now clear, his focus honed. In a split second, he found the opening he had been searching for and launched a powerful kick toward the guard's face.

Mocking Kazuki's efforts, the guard dismissed the kick as useless, taunting him for his inability to cause significant damage,the guard in his arrogance didn't try to evade the kick and went for a punch to counter it.However, to the guard's astonishment, the kick was stronger than he thought,landing square on his face,propelling him backward,crashing into the wall surrounding the castle.

The guard, initially dismissing the kick as a lucky strike, struggled to rise to his feet, his body weakened and barely able to move. Desperation filled his eyes as he pleaded for mercy from Kazuki standing right before him,but to his surprise,Kazuki response was swift and resolute,a confident smirk on his face as he uttered, "I thought you didn't speak my language?",And with that he unleashed a powerful punch,hitting the guard's face against the unforgiving ground,knocking him out.

As the guard lay defeated, Kazuki retrieved the stolen necklace and tossed it to the child. Overwhelmed with gratitude, the child thanked Kazuki for his help, his voice filled with awe and admiration. In that moment, a voice emanated from the child's side, revealing Takeshi's presence. Takeshi acknowledged that they had obtained what they sought and urged Kazuki to join him as they departed the kingdom.

Kazuki bid farewell to the child, waving with a genuine smile upon his face. Expressing gratitude for their encounter, he declared that it had been a pleasure to meet the young soul who had crossed his path. With their heads held high and their spirits unyielding, Kazuki and Takeshi ventured forth, embarking on their journey beyond the kingdom's confines.