[2] Instinctual Ideas

"After the woman spoke, she approached the homeless man and offered him some help getting up. He was so stunned by her display of power he couldn't help but tremble when she reached her hand...-"

As Miyuriaki told Ren the same story for the hundredth time, she noticed as his gaze changed from disinterest into curiosity like how it happened every other time. It was as if it was his first time hearing it again, over and over.

Miyuriaki sighed and caught a glance at Sakamoto's face. He was hard-nosed like always, but as the person who knew him most, she could tell there was a thicker layer of sternness there at this moment.

Miyuriaki's chin rumpled. When will you realize this is only hurting him? For a moment she was pursing her lips. She gasped when she realized it and she went back to her bright self in an instant.

Ren looked back confused as to why she had stopped and she just gave him a cheeky grin, which confused him more.

Miyuriaki resumed brushing his hair. I truly wish I could do more for you, my dear son. But the stone never lies. She glanced toward Sakamoto. He nodded for her to continue.

"Where was I at? Oh, right, the sky being cut." She cleared her throat. "So when the homeless man saw her hand coming in his direction—"

"Actually, Mom," Ren spoke, voice intruding suddenly. "There's something I've been wanting to ask you for a while." His voice was so low Miyuriaki could barely hear him. His gaze was on the ground too.

"Mm? What is it, Ren?" Miyuriaki asked, bemused and curious as he wasn't the type to ask much.

"Well..." Ren started, gaze still glued to the ground. "It's because... uh, I was wondering if... if it's really possible for someone to become so strong they could cut the sky itself!" he spoke, drunk on excitement with gestures big and wide as to signify the grandiosity of the feat.

For a good moment, only the sound of wind swooping past the snowy field of the yard could be heard. His parents' faces were to be laughed at. His enthusiasm and question caught both of them off guard. It wasn't common for their son to be as excited as he had been just now after all.

"Uh... I didn't mean..." Ren tried to avert them from answering his question when he saw their awkwardness, but he had barely managed to whisper the words out. His ears flushed and his gaze returned to the ground when he recalled how childish he must have appeared while speaking about such an idiotic thing.

Sakamoto coughed loudly before he walked toward Ren. There was a hint of... embarrassment on his face as he got closer?

Ren frowned. He was having a hard time telling if his father was about to scold him or whatever else—what may it be, it would definitely be better than the former.

However, those doubts wouldn't take long before solved.

Sakamoto sat by Ren's side and tapped his shoulder once, his eyes soft in a way Ren had never seen before.

"Son... Ren, look," he started, looking anxious for a second. "If you dedicate yourself just the right amount, all you can ever wish for has a chance of becoming your truth. Just like your grandfather once said to me, 'The more you put in the work to achieve something, the more likely it is for you to obtain it, so don't give up before you are sure you tried your best.'" Sakamoto smirked, and Ren felt his brain melt from confusion when he heard him.

Is he cheering me on?

What does he mean by that?

Is he trying to motivate me?

What is he trying to accomplish?

Numerous thoughts came through Ren's brain at light speed. He was so confused. Sakamoto spoke those words? The man who never cared? The doubt he felt became thrice. He couldn't believe his own father and it was not his fault.

So he denied him and his words.

If only you knew what I truly dream about... Ren cut eye contact with his father.

Noticing his son was still down, Sakamoto laughed. "You shouldn't trouble yourself too much about this. Cheer up, dinner is coming." He gave Ren two harsh pats on the back and got up.

Taking a quick breath, Ren looked up and gave his father a small smile—a nod to show he understood what was said. Although his gaze of affirmation was slightly accompanied by uncertainty, it wasn't carved in his eyes deeply enough for the other to notice.

(Haaah... always hiding your feelings like a dumbass. Don't you have the guts to fight back? Oh, right... ugh. You were supposed to be trying much harder to resist me, but look at you.)

Sakamoto smirked. "I'm happy I was able to have such a strong son like you." He roughly ruffled Ren's hair and minded his way.

Miyuriaki bit her shirt's collar when she saw it—she would have more brushing to do.

Ren watched as his father left. The snow pellets were bright as they fell. Ren looked up to see them and his iris reflected their clarity however a mess his head was now. Just how was he supposed to feel? There was no way Sakamoto was feeling bad as a father this far into life and thought he could yet be labeled a kind man if he just changed how he acted. As abruptly as that. No way Ren was even thinking there was the slightest possibility him changing was true. There wasn't enough work put in by Sakamoto for him to believe in that chance... And so his head became even more messed up.

Ren brushed himself off of that realm of doubt, sighing slightly, low enough just so his mother wouldn't hear him.

"Now, now..." Miyuriaki chuckled; Ren's pink eyes and attention were back on her, though he was made to turn a second later to have his hair brushed. "Let's finish the story, shall we?"

Ren nodded, which caused her to slap his head for messing with the brushing.

"So, when she offered her hand to the man, he was so shocked he couldn't help but tremble at the sight. For a moment they stood there, just staring at each other, one with a smile on their face and the other having their eyes tremble. Only after some good, long seconds was when he finally took a hold of—"

"Pardon my intrusion, Mistress, Young Master." A senior maid appeared by the door connecting the courtyard and manor. She curtsied a bow and continued, "Young Master's bath has been prepared."

Ren lit up and jumped to his feet before running away to the door. His awful luck had finally harbored fruit.

"Wait—!"

"I'll be going now! Thanks for everything, Mom!" he shouted from away and waved toward his mother before he entered the manor like a rocket.

"Hah, he sure has the energy to spare when it benefits him... Could've used some of that to listen to the rest of the story." Miyuriaki sighed, face tired. Then she got up and went inside too.

---

"When a beast doesn't follow its naturally-birthed-into instinct, its instinct will someday hunt it back into its nature. However, through great effort, that nature can be denied."

---

Heavy steps were felt as a man of many layers walked to his office to accomplish work, the place where he fought his burdens with battle-hardened hands.

Sakamoto was the one to walk soundly through the corridors of his house. His face was deeply serious.

"Hah, what am I doing? Cheering him on after keeping up the effort for so long. I can't back down now. Until the end comes, I'll have to continue doing it the way it was described. I hope you'll be able to accept my apologies then, Son."

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Ren played with the bubbles in his bathtub while the maids washed his body. Although he always thought the bath was great for focusing, he just couldn't get his mind out of one thing today. Can, or rather, should I really do it? Become the heir to our Clan and afterward the patriarch? Even when the fruit hasn't chosen me...

(Don't be such a crybaby.)

Ren began humming. He didn't want the maids asking why his face was as harsh as it was.

I don't know... I should just... enjoy the bath for now.

The maids carefully washed every part of his—he always thought it to be as good as the best of massages—so he closed his eyes to preserve this little peace and privilege he was given for as long as it lasted.

---

After his pleasant bath, Ren picked up some comfortable clothes he could put on to go dine.

The maids who were by the side of the room all looked at each other. Their nervous stares said something was up.

"Young Master, wouldn't you perhaps feel better wearing something more... luxurious for example?" The youngest, Aki, spoke as she saw Ren was putting pajamas on.

"Oh, no, no. It's okay. I'll only go dine with my family after all," Ren answered feeling awkward.

"But there will be—" Aki tried again.

"Don't worry about it." Ren interrupted, smiling the friendliest he could to stop them from insisting on the matter. "I'm sure they won't mind it, so you guys have not a need to worry."

The maids quickly exchanged glances but said nothing. Aki went back to her place shifting and too didn't speak another word.

Ren opened his closet and looked through all of his clothes. Hugely dissatisfied he was while so. There are only so many clothes that actually fit me. I get much taller every year. Guess I'll ask Mother for some more on my birthday. And... mmm... For a second, Ren began eyeing his clothes intensively. It almost seemed like he was pondering about throwing them all to a fire so he would immediately need some new ones.

Fortunately for the clothes, however, he saw on the clock it was almost dining time and he rushed out of his room. Crap, I shouldn't get there too late or else Aunt will pick on me.

The door slammed and the maids immediately sighed, faces like they were cowards. Aki looked down too, disappointed in herself.

"Well, at least you tried." One of the maids tried comforting her as she patted Aki's tall shoulders.

For a sliver of a second, Aki's face broke out of its sadness. Then again, her expressiveness came back and she spoke, "Yes, thank you. I'll excuse myself now."

And so she walked away.

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At the dining hall.

The two most powerful families in Wano currently sat facing each other. A single table spanned through half of the room and was the division between them. They were the Ashikagas and the Kozukis.

It was a rare occurrence for them to meet, yet they needed to do so every now and then as maintaining order and assuring progress was made in the country was greatly their responsibility.

Food was being served left and right but their mouths were too busy with talking. The strong, mixed smell of the country's signature dishes, however, entered their noses and left their mouths desiring.

But all ended when he spoke.

"So." A strong voice rang—all conversations happening immediately ceased. Silverware clanking wasn't heard anymore, as if the ones eating were afraid to continue now.

On one end of the table, the target of all the stares stood, and he continued then, "What you are trying to say is that you want to mass-produce these so-called Paradise Farms and that you will need financial help from us?" Sakamoto's permanent frown seemed even bigger now.

Asking for funding from his clan to build these Paradise Farms, which despite receiving great response from the people, was still a prototype and an idea from one of Wano's biggest troublemakers, Kozuki Oden, was like a slap to his face. Might it fail, Sakamoto assumed it would cost at least fifteen percent of his clan's total savings while they would gain nothing in exchange. The materials needed to build these factories were incredibly high-priced as per seeing the layout given by Oden himself.

However, he couldn't simply refuse it too. Their families were intrinsically bound to each other for many centuries already.

Sakamoto's head was beginning to ache from it, so making a sigh noticeable, he waited for the current Shogun of Wano, Kozuki Sukiyaki, to answer him.

Catching the hint, Sukiyaki held the cup he had been drinking from since he came here and started, "You see—" However, he immediately stopped to take a huge sip from his drink. With audible gulps, he took his time with it and Sakamoto's mood turned visibly worse by the second. Sukiyaki eyed him as he drank it all, mood bubbly, eyes laughing, and then he slammed his cup down when he finished. It was bad manners not to show in some way he appreciated the good alcohol. "You see, my son, Oden, did a gree~eeat feat, one to be talked about for many generations to come." He pointed behind him where Oden stood, the latter standing with a face as straight as iron, no pressure shown even when put in such high regard.

Jibuemon, one of Sukiyaki's retainers, picked at his food nervously. He knew how Sukiyaki would always try to compare his son, Oden, to Sakamoto's daughter when groggy. The man loved poking fun at the oh-so-serious Patriarch of the Ashikaga Clan.

"As you might know, I had previously banished my son to Kuri, an area known to be a lawless one and where criminals roam free... However!" Sukiyaki jumped up and slapped the table. "Not so much to my surprise, he did a great feat as to tame all of them and put them to work to make that place a better one! And that was years ago!" he yelled, seemingly in delight.

The silence was immense after he finished speaking. It would continue for a long second before someone unsatisfied with the nonsensical braggadocio the man was squandering said, "So, what would that do with anything?"

Sakamoto's advisor, Hisashi, was the one to speak, his blue eyes locked onto Sukiyaki's. If you won't accept the sobriety yourself, may sobriety be forced onto you then—was what the stare said. And the blond man although only an advisor, was also widely known to be one of the strongest within the strongest clan.

That fact and stare caused Sukiyaki to sober up and sigh off his ruined playing time. Do not taunt the pride else the lion attacks, he thought hiding his chuckle.

Sukiyaki cleared his throat and finally began with what they wanted to hear, "Well... a few years back, my son came to me with an idea that might help with Wano's most surging problem: the lack of food." Sukiyaki took from his pocket a map covering all of Wano's regions and placed it on the table. "As you might see on this map, there are areas in red, yellow, and green. The red ones are the ones that need food the most while the yellow and green ones don't need as much." He then pressed his finger on top of Kuri, the reddest area on the map. "Right here, my son had asked me to test and build a sort of factory he had idealized, saying it would greatly help with the food demand in that area.

"I liked his idea and wanted it done. However, for it to first turn possible, we'd have to get the criminals on Kuri under control. While hard-fought, it was a battle Oden single-handedly won as he brought all the vagabonds and ronins there to work together under his wing to test-build his creation, and that was right before he sailed outside the country four years ago. Since then, the farm has produced incredible amounts of healthy food at the cost of using water and some seeds only."

Sukiyaki then smirked. "Now that he has returned, we've made an updated map. Here, take a look." He took another map out of his pocket.

All eyes curiously looked at the map as it was spread through the table.

"As you can see, the area surrounding the point we built the farm has now become yellow, meaning the need for food in that region has decreased significantly." Sukiyaki then slid his finger through the map. "However, the further we stray from the point the farm was built, the more the red parts, or should I call it, places that are affected by hunger begin to appear."

"You still haven't explained how it works," Hisashi retorted frowning.

"Oh, right." Sukiyaki looked back at Oden and motioned with a finger for him to step up. The latter went to the front with big steps.

Sakamoto who before wasn't interested in the man considered Wano's Most Famous now had a brow raised, curiosity picked even if slightly. "I find it... peculiar to say the least, that you left Wano for a couple of years back then. The outside must be as comforting as it seemed seeing as how you stayed out for years." Sakamoto grinned. Then with his palms out, he showed Oden the stage was all his. "Do present your idea the best you can. I'm hopeful it won't be a waste of my time."

Oden gave him a cheeky grin, snorting almost. There was no need to point out the obvious, he thought. From the beginning he had planned to explain his idea so well he would leave the man salivating afterward.

Oden pumped his chest, posture demanding the room's attention, and began, "So as said, the production will function through the use of—"

The dining room's door screeched loudly as it was opened, stopping all discussions. Oden looked back, brows raised. But he smirked when he saw who it was.

"Huh? What's happening here?" Ren asked confused. He glared over everyone in the room, them glaring back. Had he missed something? Why were the Kozuki here?

"Hmph, coming so late on such an important occasion. And while wearing pajamas too. How shameful from our to-be Heir," a woman spoke, her tone a mockery at the word—Heir.

She was from the Ashikagas' side: Hara, she with her curly brownish-red hair looking so similar to Miyuriaki she was her older version almost—even if Miyuriaki's hair was straight instead. They were sisters after all, though age played a part when considering one as beautiful as the other. Her features were slimmer, sharper, resembling much a snake in her whole.

"Ugh... Aunt Hara..." Ren began back-stepping towards the door. "Maybe I should just..."

"Ren, come here." A sudden voice stopped him. It was his mother's.

"There is a free space next to mine," she spoke again, and Ren had to inevitably go and sit with everyone else.

This is so embarrassing... why did nobody tell me this yesterday or even today?! he thought, ears masterfully hidden by his hair on their redness. But then, his mind traveled back to not so long ago when he had interrupted the maid, Aki.

Ren groaned. Oh, of course.

"Umm, continuing..." Oden announced, now holding some papers.

While Ren thought some things over, he saw a trio secretly smirking and poking fun at him.

Really? Not even now can they keep their childish plays in check...? Ren's eyes slanted as he turned to listen to Oden only. A surge of rage came to him like a raving wave, though it returned to its space in his subconscious as quickly as it had come.

The symptoms were worsening.

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Curtains flapped in Ren's room, birds chirped, and the wind piped in a mellow, morning tone. This cacophony of noises, although gentle, was like continuous thunder inside his ears while he slept. The door to the balcony was open too and the cold wind of the morning seeped inside. Ren was made to tremble like a naked man in the north from how brisk the weather was.

"U-ugh... d-did I forget the door to t-the b-balcony open?" he muttered, teeth clattering.

Hugging himself in the bed, Ren turned immobile. He was too exhausted to pick up the blanket he had kicked away during his sleep, so he stood like that for some minutes, half-dead seemingly.

The break of dawn had arrived. The clarity of the outside was making Ren's room its new home.

Ren groaned, helpless against the brightness purging the comfortable darkness behind his eyelids, and was forced into squinting his eyes until he could open them fully for a first since he woke up. Only then he realized how wearied they were just by moving them. It felt like rocks scrapped against his inner lid however carefully he directed his vision wherever at.

"Ugh..." Ren flinched at the pain, fingers massaging his globes.

The reason for all of this was the minuscule time he'd had to sleep. His family's and the Kozukis' fault for talking for so long, especially Oden!

I can't even count how many damned hours I spent in that dining room yesterday. Even for some part of this dawn too how much they talked!

Sighing, Ren tried getting up, but his body was as stiff as when he finished sparring with his father. He grumbled, falling back down, and gave up for some more minutes, mind devoid of thought while he lay there. Until nature itself had to tap his shoulders, a warmth reaching him. Shadows almost weren't a thing anymore how the sun finally showed up.

Mind's even hazier today... Ren thought, and gave up resting, allowing his desire to sleep just a tad longer to simply vanquish and the comfort of his bed to turn into another redundant thing.

Yawning, he got up from the bed. "Sun's rising this early? Looks like that day of the year is finally coming. Weird thing it matches with my ceremonial birthday."

Ren stretched his numb limbs and yawned another big one. He then walked to the bathroom to wash his face.

Fifty sweeps on each side, start!

Why did that man need to have such a loud mouth? He spoke so much that at some point half of what he said sounded like gibberish only. His voice being annoying didn't help at all too... and I couldn't even leave to change my clothing! Terrible, Ren, terrible... he thought, glowering at his reflection.

Then he began cleaning the foam on his face.

But regardless of my personal animus toward him, I think his idea might actually function to a certain extent and is a good one, just not a very plausible one.

Ren finished in the bathroom and went on to put on some presentable clothes, searching his closet.

The two biggest problems I see with his idea are that first: They won't be able to travel to other regions with the products they make due to their fragility. It was already tested and they didn't reach far with the goods. This would consequently force us to build a lot of these all around Wano to facilitate the transport of stock. However, the money required to build even one factory is already incredibly high... and building a lot of these? Can't even imagine it. It is a really plausible idea if they manage to get my father's approval though.

But then comes the second thing and the component impeding the success of this plan, which is the fact Oden hadn't considered the limited resources we have in Wano when revising the layouts. He said that after his travels, what he saw in the exterior gave him so many more ideas as to how he could improve the project, and now, for it to be as functional and efficient as he envisioned, we must gather all of the resources needed.

Ren began contemplating, a finger on his chin. This was a big opportunity for his dream to come true. He remembered the genuine interest his father showed during the meeting. It seemed he was going to support and finance the idea, yet because of what that would imply, he said he was postponing the decision.

It was the expected after all. Ren and everyone else knew there was only one option to solve Wano's food problems, and that was to venture outside their land borders, be it now to bring materials back with them for the success of the project; to acquire further knowledge about food-related matters; or to learn of anything else that would be helpful.

However, how could they? It had been so long since Wano's borders were closed and for them to be as daring as to be the ones to open them again... it almost eliminated Oden's idea bare-front.

Ren began dreaming of going outside the country after his uncle, the only person who went and came back to Wano whenever he wanted to, began telling Ren the most inexplicable yet interesting and fun stories Ren had ever heard of his trips to him.

This aroused curiosity would eventually turn into Ren's most precious goal in life—to venture out into the sea together with him. Now he was just waiting for when his uncle would come back. He was old enough to accompany him now and there was no way he would or could refuse him this time.

But...

Ren grimaced.

The problem was that four years had passed since his uncle last left. This was his longest trip until now and he hadn't sent a message to signal his wellness or whereabouts or his return a single time. Ren knew his uncle was his sole probability when it came to realizing his dream, so he needed him to come back as soon as possible and before the ceremony. He would go this next time even if his father and uncle prohibited him from it. Even if he would need to do it in the dark or hidden in his uncle's ship.

And so he sighed soundly. Less than a week away from the ceremony and from being bound to this place for eternity... Chances were minimal he would come back before that.

Ren had stopped in place for some minutes now, overthinking like always. He saw his nearing coming of age as nothing else but a trap that would have him rooted in this country until death. What else to think of it when you would have so many responsibilities you would always be required to be on standby?

I don't have a say on this like always. To go out of the country now to search for resources... It might be the only chance I'll ever have to go outside. Otherwise, when I become the heir and then patriarch of the clan, I definitely won't be able to...

---

The Ashikaga family,

Since hundreds of years ago they have protected the Country of Wano from all that posed a threat to the land and citizens within it.

The most common tale told about them was that they were bound by the heavens to this land to protect it as punishment for an unforgivable crime they had done. However, the skies as pitiful as they were, had sent down a divine dragon that would bless them with power and authority like no one else had so they could accomplish the task imposed on them.

Because of the dragon's gift albeit their crimes, the Ashikaga Clan swore they would protect the people of this land from any harm no matter the enemy or circumstance—it was an eternal promise.

The dragon, satisfied with that, later went into a deep slumber inside the mountain and even today is said to reside there.

Such an unbelievable yet unquestionable story coupled with the numerous times they had helped the Country of Wano flourish made them the most respected family that still stood atop every other for hundreds of years now.

This would also mean that they are the center of all things in Wano, and with them being so, the presence of the dragon's head—or the Ashikaga Patriarch—would always be of utmost importance. Otherwise, the dragon, or Wano, wouldn't be able to function properly without command.

When Ren was to inevitably rise to the position of patriarch, his wish would stay a wish only, the sight of a faraway sea filled with lands to explore left a mirage for desire to dream about.

"Really stupid..." Ren mumbled.

Suddenly, however, something entered his senses. He warped his view, face bothered, to the door to his room.

"Already...?" He frowned when he realized what or who it was.

Two knocks came from the door and a second later, a maid entered his room as he predicted. It was the youngest, Aki.

"Uh, hello. What is it?" Ren spoke, his kimono yet untightened in the middle revealing a fresh pectus, chest muscles slipping into brief view.

For Ren's age, his build was the most aesthetically pleasing possible for a teenage girl, so Aki flushed when she saw him, hands roving about to cover her embarrassed eyes, eyes on which kept searching for a peek.

The spruce maid seemed shyer for some reason when no other accompanied her, Ren saw, raising a brow.

"I-I apologize for intruding, Young Master, but your mother has called for you to begin your lessons," she spoke, bowing slowly as she regained her composure.

"Ah, yeah..." Ren scratched his head. Why was she being this shy around him? From his knowledge, they didn't talk much besides the formalities implied in their servant-employer relationship.

"I'll go... I'll go in an instant," Ren said, unreasonably nervous while talking to a girl so close to his age, her being sixteen. It was not like he ever got nervous next to the other maids his age. So he was confused by himself.

"I see. Then, if you'll excuse my leave..." Aki turned and wasted no time to leave the room. Before she closed the door though, her eyes unwillingly gave Ren a last glance and she blushed once more.

The thud of the door reached Ren's ears and as if he had been holding it in for a while, he sighed his heaviest. Weirdly, he felt very relieved when she left. His heart had also been pounding like crazy and he had no idea why.

He went in front of a full-body mirror to fix his clothes and saw his whole midsection was open for viewing. He blushed and groaned. "So that's why she was... ugh..." He became as red as a tomato. "Wouldn't she file me for indecency? What if she thought I was being improper on purpose? Did I come off as creepy? I swear I'm not like those other pigs in the house... agh..." Ren's grunt sounded panicked, hands covering his face but not the shame.

Still, when he recalled his bawdiness, he slapped himself, not once, but until his cheeks were so red one wouldn't be able to discern the reason they were red in the first place.

---

And now, the same torture of always. Ren frowned as he met the corridors of his house, his for-ages-known enemy, for the millionth time. Although he knew these like the lines on his hand, it was troublesome traversing them either way. They were just that big.

Finally got to wear my favorite kimono made to look like violet plums~. He thought of whatever else to occupy his mind and hummed as he walked the way, patting imaginary dust off his prized kimono. I hope mom doesn't mind me forgetting a lot of what she taught me about ancient language. It's been a long time since I touched anything related to it. Also, my ears are itching and I'm kind of hungry... I shouldn't have wasted time in bed.

"Ren!"

Ren swiveled on his feet, posture awkward, same for the face he had on. "What?" He had heard some voice calling from behind and looked. It was small and barely seeable how distant it was on the corridor, but he was sure he knew who that was. He cocked his head to the side and squinted his eyes, trying harder to make sure she was the one approaching him. He squinted them some more and finally memory didn't fail him. "Sen?!" he yelled. "What are you doing here?! I thought you were going to lock yourself for some months to train alone!"

It was his older sister who had secluded herself in one of the training yards the week before, saying she would stay there for at least a year as she wanted to improve with the sword.

However, there she was in front of him.

(Ugh, a pest has appeared.)

Ren crossed his arms. It was weird she wasn't answering him back. Only her figure kept increasing in his view as her legs, unhinged, gyrated in full potency toward him. Her face was sprayed with sweat like she had run a marathon.

Maybe it is because she can't hear me?

For some seconds Ren stared at her come to him, until something turned right the corridor behind her and began running before her.

"What the hell?!" Ren yelped, his gaze so wide his pupils could've been four.

The floor, which for a while now was shyly trembling, now shook grandly, the noise rhythmic as if borrowing from the gallops of a horse.

Ren swallowed hard. The itchiness he felt before was made clear where it derived from.

"What is that thing, Sen!?" he yelled, palms surrounding his mouth to spread the sound so she could hear him better.

"Reeen!! Help meeee~!" But she just shouted again, not answering his calling. She was giggling while running he noticed.

What is wrong with her? Ren thought. He had been frozen in place for a while now, watching the two menaces cover the distance between him and them in seconds. What am I supposed to do?!

Ren cracked another stare at the thing behind, and suddenly he had an epiphany. Wait... isn't that the Kozuki's boar?! He then looked back at Sen, her face beaming a smile. What is she doing with it?! Wait, this isn't the time... I must act quickly! Ren anxiously prepped himself. Is this why she can't hear me? Its steps?

Ren's ears turned itchier by the second how the floor incessantly shook. Two breaths. Three breaths. Four breaths. But he inhaled until in his mind all unnecessary thinking was excluded. He grabbed the katana he always carried with him and held it by the hilt, halting off its unleashing until the ambit between him and his target was enough he could slice it into porkchop. And it continued approaching.

The fifth breath. And the moment he was waiting for came as he shouted: "Imperial char—!" His katana slid on the scabbard as he cited the attack, whistling inside as the blade scraped against the sheat, and while not even half a second had passed at that moment, someone had still acted quicker.

"Stop."

A sudden voice came like a singular droplet falling into a river in the night. His steps carried no sound and neither did they rustle. They instead took flight and never ceased being in the air. And so Ren held his breath when he appeared in his front—in the boar's front too—without a warning he would spawn in.

Ren, as bewildered as he was, needed to stop his slash or else he would cut the man in half. His muscles twitched as he switched gears, the pain excruciating, and he barely managed not to explode into action—though he knew the man ahead of him would never be hit by such a flimsy attack.

The man's voice had been directed at the boar, and the creature had actually chosen to listen as it braked frantically. Its eyes shrunk to the size of a grain of rice as it observed the man's every movement. Its breath also became faster. It instinctively knew it wasn't a match for him.

Sen stopped by Ren's side, puffing and touching his shoulder and talking in her brightness of always, but Ren was entranced. The aura the man omitted was unlike any other—a magnet for the gaze. Ren looked at his back and it appeared humongous, perhaps covering the entire gigantic beast from sight. Or clearing any traces of its existence despite the still apparent trembling its steps had caused, steps which still rang in Ren's ears.

"I see you are smart..." the man mused. "Had you covered a bit more distance between you and me... I'm afraid you would have lost your head."

The boar didn't move an inch for a good second, only shook uncontrollably. Then, when it got a hold of itself, it ran back to where it came from with horror in its face. Mini-earthquakes were made as it fled the scene, and Ren clicked his tongue as the itchiness came back.

"My students," the man spoke while turning to face both. "I see you managed to stop yourself after I came in. That was commendable, Young Master." He nodded toward Ren.

Ren nodded back while Sen jumped toward him, punching in his direction with the fluidity only a master of their craft could have, though Ren knew she barely trained at all.

"Hyaap! Huup!" Sen kept punching, but the man simply stepped sideways every time her fist approached him, negating a single hit from her.

"That was my exercise of the day, Teacher! Why did you scare him away?!" She continued her flurry until he grabbed both of her fists.

"There were noise complaints, my dear student." He smiled.

Sen pouted as he let her go. "So, are we having classes or not?"

He considered speaking for a second but began walking away, hands on his back. That was a sign for them to follow, they knew, and Ren and Sen began their trot side-by-side after him.

Ren looked at his sister's face for a moment. He saw scribbling there, most likely an act of his lively imagination, as his parents told him. But he was indeed feeling weird today. Everything was, even if slightly, appearing unfamiliar to him, mostly memories that were recent and faces. Even though he had been nailed on by his parents many times he had lived in this place ever since he was given birth, sometimes he couldn't remember a single thing about his childhood.

Noticing his stare, Sen smiled and waved simply. Ren did the same but gave her a small nod too. She was the older sister and had an air about her sometimes—the chosen one they say.

"Today your mother will have full reign of your studies." Their teacher started abruptly. "I won't be able to interfere in the slightest, I'll only be accompanying you two today. She's been anticipating this for the longest, your return to studying with her I mean, so be careful not to show boredom or discontentment." He chuckled.

"Eh... but I wanted to have your classes too..." Sen said.

Ren observed his teacher's whole garb; He was wearing the simplest outfit a scholar would use, which was a long-sleeved robe of black and white. Because of it, his long black hair, albeit graying slightly, was his biggest highlight. His eyes one couldn't see, only the long lashes as he kept them closed, were the last condiments that made him quite the gallant man, though he was rather quiet-seeming. And he was in his forties looking this jovial. Ren was certain he'd had a good upbringing even though the man never talked about his past.

Say something.

"Uh, teacher..." Ren started, a sudden urge feeding him anxiousness. "Can I ask what the Kozuki's beast was doing here?"

"I apologize, Young Master. I've just realized I haven't told you about Kozuki Oden's six-day stay here. I suggested it and the patriarch permitted me himself, though it wasn't much necessary."

The anxiousness went how it came. "Ah, that's... okay I guess," Ren said, tone reluctant.

"Also, the boar just decided to tag along," his teacher continued, "though I didn't permit it to come inside the manor." He glaringly looked at the culprit of all this mess.

"Hehe. My training was really boring so I decided to use the boar to spice things up." She scratched the back of her head.

Ren face-palmed at her antics.

"But teacher," Sen said, hands above her head. "Aren't only great warriors with grand accomplishments permitted to stay here? Of course, I heard about his feats on Kuri and I know that he accompanied that Roger—whatchamacallit... but it shouldn't have been enough for him to be allowed here, right? It's usually through the accumulation of great acts for the good of the people that some are allowed here. He shouldn't have the catalog still... I think"

The man chuckled in response. "Hmm... let's just say that I, as the vice-leader, found him kind of amusing and allowed him a stay here for a couple of days. Don't worry as I'm monitoring him to the best of my capabilities."

"Ehhh... only for that." Sen pulled her lips. Men and their odd ambitions.

Ren thought her doubts unsolicited. He was Wano's most famous after all and solely because of his feats.

---

Ren walked behind his sister and teacher on the road down the mountain. His feet sank into the snow whenever he stepped and it made a crunchy sound. He hated it. Gave him the irks. Gladly, he wouldn't have to hear it for much longer as their destination was in the middle part of the mountain.

It was their clan's library they aimed for. A while had passed since Ren had last seen just the look of it. He used to take this path every day to come study at the library. Now it was just a memory. Foggy but still there.

Ren sighed, condensed air leaving his mouth like guests that intruded. I dropped out of my mother's classes since they were the ones that took me the most time so I could focus on improving for the ceremony. Now that it's close... guess I'll be coming back.

Ren's most hated thing was studying. His memory was always terrible for remembering her subject's contents—History—since they relied on it for the most part.

Ren held from stumbling on a harder bunch of snow and spoke, "Teacher, I don't understand. Why is it important for me to take as many classes as I do when I only need strength and some basic knowledge and intuition as the patriarch?"

In response, the man turned to Ren with a raised brow and asked back, "Who said that?"

"Uh... I guess myself?" Ren replied, pulling his lips and shoulders.

Then his teacher continued walking down the road.

Ren had no option but to wait until the man would decide to speak in goodwill.

It didn't take long before Ren heard him again.

"Well, it doesn't matter anyway. I will explain it to you simply, so look at it like this..."

Ren nodded for him to proceed.

"Knowledge is an important weapon for one to have, it being just as reliable as your sword."

Ren's dubious look gave away the uncertainty he had on his words.

"Don't believe me?" His teacher grinned. "Look, everything from the likes of strategies of war to geographical locations; the history of your predecessors and how they thrived until what we are, their choices; the very important medical insight for first-aid and country-scale health issues; how you would understand how our society births structural mayhems daily; to even political affairs, are areas our eyes are at first opened to us through books and they will help you when you become the patriarch. As you will lead a country that lives through these problems, you must, to a degree, have some knowledge in these areas so you can exert your help for those in need. Also, constant studying will keep your brain active and that'll boost your mind into constantly seeking improvement, be it for your cognitive abilities or thinking process.

"Those two are of great importance in a battle where decisions must be taken within a split second... And from what I heard, it seems that our dear Young Master has been having trouble making proper decisions within a battle." He raised a brow at Ren. A got you moment he would dare say.

Ren threw his arms up, face annoyed. He gave in. All the points made were valid. There was no way he could find a way to refute his words with his all-brawn brain.

"He gave you no opening, Ren," Sen spoke, her eyes pitiful as she patted her brother's shoulder.

"Those were words only! I won't be persuaded by them." Ren crossed his arms, scoffing away.

"Oh, I'll have a more practical example to give you someday. On why wits are as important as swords." His teacher chuckled.

Ren sighed and began trailing behind.

(Why don't you just say that you don't want to be the patriarch? Stopping being so much of a pushover...)

"No... I'm not..." Ren's mouth opened on its own.

"Mm? Said something?" Sen spun around, gaze tilted to Ren.

"Nothing at all," Ren answered right back.

"Umm, okay..." Sen then turned to look ahead. "Teacher, I heard the fruit was only seen by as many people as you can count on your fingers. Is that true?!" she asked enthusiastically.

"You shouldn't mention it so casually, Sen. Its existence is unrevealed to the rest of the world. And may this serve as a lesson that even the snow can have ears..."

Sen looked at him squinting, confused as to what he meant. Ren, however, noticed as his teacher slightly glared at a random, unsuspicious location on the snow path as his lips curved into a small smile.

.

..

...

..

.

A gigantic structure came into their vision. Ren and Sen looked beyond the verdant trees to the letters highlighted in the building. It read Ashikaga Library.

Ren took a long breath. "I haven't come here since... well-... since I stopped taking classes."

Sen, who now walked behind him, nodded. "Mhm, it's also been a while for me." Her eyes scanned the place.

On that complex building laid just as complex knowledge—hundreds of years of it, to be precise. Be it their family's history or the country's, there was a bit of everything there. And as important as it was, it was heavily guarded at all times. At least a good twenty percent of the clan's troops were stationed around there right now. It was virtually impossible for anyone to even dare think of robbing the place.

"Only bad, strenuously bad memories are popping up. Ugh... I think might not be able to do it, Ren..." Sen held her belly, faking mulligrubs the best she could.

"Oh, of course... some are popping up... for me too..." Ren smiled, eyes without any rugs.

"We're here, my students. No running off now." Their teacher chided playfully.

Approaching the entrance, they saw two guards, each standing on one side of the door. They carried spears as big as their bodies, and these weapons were similar to one another too. Only the head of one was a dragon and the other was a tiger. Their bodies also appeared particularly similar beyond their armors, so much so that even through their helmets one could argue they were twins.

And they indeed were. Called Spear Twins by many, their title was a way to show respect toward their skill amongst even the best within the clan.

As the duo of guards noticed the three approaching, they promptly bowed and welcomed them inside. One went on to guide them, while the other stayed behind to guard the entrance.

Ren eyed the one at the entrance for a second. His face was unchanging off its stoutness even as his own master passed by. They must and well... should take their job very seriously.

Continuing the path, Ren saw the numerous packed shelves with books of all sorts pass by. He could see so much accumulated dust on them that one whipping of the wind would probably cause a sandstorm inside.

Everyone's been working hard on the training grounds to show off at the ceremony lately, so I don't blame them for not reading much. Where was the martial arts area again, though? Ren looked at both sides and found in a distant corner lots of kids about his age sitting there and reading through the books. That was definitively where the books with martial arts were.

Kids will always be children, he thought and laughed.

He then saw some of the ones reading appeared disinterested. Others didn't seem to appreciate the value those books held. And others looked like they simply didn't care and were forced there. However, Ren noticed a small group in their circle that read through the books carefully.

"We might have some promising warriors on the clan soon," Ren's teacher spoke suddenly.

Ren immediately cocked his head back to look ahead. He was embarrassed to have been caught.

The awkward silence that was rather only awkward for Ren continued as they went up the stairs. It was deafening, and it overlapped with the constant stepping of the four when going up the stairs.

I should try thinking about good things, Ren thought, his eyes watching over his steps. Mm... what about the time I studied here with Sen and Mom? There should be some pretty neat memories... Ren started a search through his memories but nothing came.

How stupid... why am I feeling nervous at a time like this? Sen is probably feeling nervous too, right? Ren looked to his side only to see a big smile on Sen's face. It suddenly made him remember who she was.

Oh right, the chosen one. She probably doesn't even feel nervous anyway.

Her hair was of a lotus color, resembling a bit of Ren's pale purple with the sprinkle of strong red it had if both colors were to be mixed. However, hers was purer and brighter, seemingly to shine when hit by the sunlight. Her appearance was also all tied up. Her aura was incorruptible too. Confidence solidified with her every step and her will to care about her goals and move toward them was, Incomparable, Ren thought it. And she was only one year older than him.

Ren was a target of comparison to his sister ever since he was born. Every single accomplishment he would obtain after working the hardest he could was bound to be accompanied by the inevitable: "Still not good enough. Your sister did this better when she was younger than you are now."

"Oh wow.... but I remember when your sister did it thrice the amount you did."

"What? You can't do it? But your sister..."

"But your sister..."

"BUT YOUR SISTER!"

Ren stopped on his track. The swift wind entering the area carried his long hair back.

"What's wrong, Ren?" Sen asked as she looked at him from above the stairs.

Panting a bit, he put on a small smile and reassured her, "Nothing, go on ahead. I'll accompany you right after."

"Don't try to run away, hehe," she spoke with her always mischievous smile.

Believing his words, they went on ahead and Ren stayed behind.

(Finally some action after a whole while! Just let it consume you! Don't fight it!)

Why must it happen right now... Ren thought, his hand clasping his chest.

(Just remember that they choose to ignore you and your efforts just because she is the one chosen by the fruit! Isn't it unfair?! Don't you feel anger boiling inside because of it?!)

What bullshit. Ren's eyes became grim as he tried fighting back non-welcomed thoughts.

Memories that once faint now came back to mind stronger than they ever were.

Ren felt like he was remembering something so important... but it escaped his grasp before he could fully catch on to it.

(Don't fight it. Let me take control.)

Ren's consciousness began to slip.

---

[8707 Words]