1.7: The Forced Captaincy

*Back to the Quarts forest*

  ***

In the forest where all the 24 survivors were located, this was one of the most challenging tests. The only provisional food that they could hunt…was hunters. Beasts and demoniacs of B-S rank these areas as the defenders of their title. Martin and Gaiyato were both resting in the surveillance room. One of their peers, Hade, came in as he was lost with everything taking place.

"Hey Martin, why do we even do this test?"

Martin looks in his direction. "How long have you been working here, and you still don't know that?"

"Well, if you paid attention to my life, I only got hired last month…"

Martin stared at Gaiyato, but he just shrugged his shoulders. It appeared they both hadn't known him for long enough.

"Is that true?" Martin asked.

"He's my subordinate,…BUT feels like I just saw him today, I guess." Gaiyato replied while stretching.

Martin scuffed as an apology and sat down again. "It's simple. Don't you know the ultimate condition of a ronin?"

"Err, we have two lives?" Hade asked.

"No."

"We are not human?"

"No."

"Some of us get jobs if we show them our…pizza man resume?"

"WHAT?! No, of course not!"

"I don't know then…" Hade said with a face of confusion. Gaiyato looked his way as well. "Ronins are powerful specimens. With the power to regenerate lethal wounds momentarily. But one ronin will die if they don't eat within two days; that's the injunction."

Hade looks surprised as Martin smiles. "I'm shocked you are still alive without knowing that, Hade. That's the test...to see just how far they are willing to stick as a team. This is important to see whether they would kill their fellows for survival or see them as allies and die of hunger. We need competent ronins in Legon City, not cannibals. But if the cannibals can cooperate with someone…they also pass."

They both turned back as Hade made himself comfortable and sat with them to watch the survivors.

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Nine hours had passed since they entered the forest and were down to the ground. Tedashii was depleted, as he still had Suzuki on his back and barely had any spiritas left. The starvation on his face was indisputable.

"H…hey Su…are we…gonna make…it…?" He tried to hum with his slightest breath but didn't utter a word or move. He was weak, and both their visions began to fade. Tedashii fell and decided to accept his fate.

***

The Elite Force found a place to rest, but they were also drained. With no food for so long, they felt it would have all been over.

"Man…I'm hun…gry…" Yuro said.

"Guys, I… don't want to go down like this…" Rin said, and they all agreed.

  ***

Franco used the bitter amount of spiritas to heal his tongue and stomach. They didn't get water either, so dehydration was also a liability. He kept searching and searching, but not a single predator was found.

"Shit… I'm not going to…bite the dust…yet!"

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In the surveillance room, Martin and Gaiyato both went outside to chat and eat in the meantime. Hade was sleeping on his chair before a man walked in with a static report of the remaining ronins. They both heard Hade scream as Martin took a look at it. "WHAT?! How are there only ten of them left?!"

Gaiyato was surprised as they both ran toward the surveillance system. All they saw was all the ronins being annihilated one by one before the cameras lost signal. But one of them was mobile with the sound of a ronin breathing.

"Uhhh…did you guys set any mobile cameras?" Hade asked.

"That is not a moving camera…it looks like the wires are tangled on a person," Martin said.

The vision became more apparent as the camera slowly walked toward Tedashii and Suzuki. Hade choked as he wanted to run to help them. But then, a blue light began to glow on his head; Martin held him back using his prowess. He pressed onto his right shoulder as the blue light went red and agonized pain on Hade.

"AAAAAAHHHH!!!! MARTIN STOP!!"

"You know the rules; we can only interact with the dead ones! You should hold your position!"

"You're saying I should watch those kids get killed; I WOULD NEVER…AAAAAAHHHH!!!"

Martin held his shoulder as hard as he could, up to the point Hade was out cold. Gaiyato showed no sign of trouble and kept staring at the screen. He was just as nervous even though he didn't react to what was approaching his nephew. Martin tried to catch his breath, then turned around to see what was transpiring. The camera was right before Tedashii as blood dripped onto his face. All the administrators entered the room and watched anxiously as they couldn't predict what would happen next. Suddenly, water began pouring into Tedashii's thirsty mouth. The camera did the same to Suzuki, and they both regained consciousness.

COUGH! COUGH! COUGH! GASP!

They both tried to catch as much air as possible. "GAHH! W…What happened?"

Tedashii finally recovered his sight and then looked up at the camera. "Hey, thank you so much for the help. We would've died if it wasn't for- WHY ARE YOU COVERED IN BLOOD?!"

The admins all were perplexed as relief came to their minds. It was another ronin that helped them out. He had sharp teeth and grey hair covered with blood all over. "Well, I heard you are the Calamity of our Quarts. So, can you do me a favor?"

"Favour? Sure, what do you want?"

Tedashii was lost, as the ronin just jumped by to cuddle him from his chest. "PLEASE BE MY CAPTAIIINNNN~!!!!!"

Tedashii was spooked as he couldn't force himself out of the ronin's grip. He began to lose air again and had no choice. "OKAY! OKAY! I'LL BE YOUR CAPTAIN; JUST LET ME GO!!"

Without reluctance, he let go of Tedashii. "ALRIGHT, CAPTAIN!"

Tedashii was somewhat irritated but glad this man saved him and Suzuki. The boy threw the camera away, and the others lost signal. Gaiyato was still staring at the screen, then smiled at Martin. "Well, isn't my money not going to waste this year?"

"Shut up. And don't smile at me like that… it's creepy."

  ***

"So tell me, who are you anyway?" Tedashii asked.

"Name's Genti. Mizuyura Genti! I'm a water ronin!"

Tedashii was still trying to figure out what he said, as Genti then looked to his left and saw three B-ranked bears. They all stalked the three ronins with several motives. Suzuki was freaked out and hid behind Tedashii. The bears kept getting closer and closer to them, but they began to tremble as they noticed the facial expressions of Tedashii and Genti. It was not the expression of fear, but they had expressions of murderous intent.

"Hey Genti. If I'm your captain, would you listen to ANYTHING I SAY?"

He said that with a treacherous smile on his face. "Your wish is MY command!"

"PERRRRRFECT. Now, as my first order, LET'S GET SOME BEAR MEAT!!"

"ALRIGHT, CAPTAIN!!"

~CHARGE!

*BOOM!!! BAMM!! SLING!!

The rumbling was heard across the forest, which provoked the Elite Force. Rin, the light ronin, tried to look up.

"Hey, did you guys… hear that?" he asked.

"Don't make me...use my last days…looking up…" Makoto answered.

They all were hungry and thirsty, and the scent of fried meat caught their attention. They all sniffed, thinking it was an illusion, until they realized it was all genuine!

"REAL FOOOD???!!!!" 

They all shouted out and sprung towards the smell. Running to fill their stomachs, they all stopped before they noticed who the host was. It was the calamity that they all displayed their talents instead of helping. They hated him but couldn't endure the hunger that resided within them. Makoto decided to take charge. "Come on guys… We're stronger than this. We… don't need help from the calamity. "

He said that, but three out of the six were already gone. Tedashii, Genti, and Suzuki were enjoying the meat from the three bears.

"WOW, Genti! You're pretty strong; this is enough meat to cover a guild!"

"Come on, Captain! Your gratitude isn't worth my attention; you took down two of them yourself!"

The other members of the Elite Force came by towards them. Genti immediately raised his guard, but Tedashii held him on his shoulder to not cause any problem. Tedashii stood up and walked towards them.

"Well, Well, Well. If it isn't the show-offs from earlier. You guys don't look so good." He said, with a tone of vanity. Yuro walked towards Tedashii.

"I will do anything. Just PLEASE…LET ME HAVE SOME!!"

Tedashii spared him and held a piece of the meat with water aside.  "You can have this and more IF you join my-"

"F*CK YEAH!! DONE AND DUSTED!"

Tedashii gave him the pair of meat and let him sit with them. He held another portion of water toward the other five members.

"GLAD TO SEE YOU SPARE US CAPTAIN!" Rin said and joyfully took the portion. The others looked at them in shock.

"SORRY FOR EARLIER CAPTAIN. I DON'T KNOW WHAT CAME TO MY MIND TO LEAVE YOU BEHIND!" The ronin with the elf clothing said and joined them. They all sat and laughed with the others. Makoto, furious that they fell into his bribery so quickly, realized he was the only one by their bush. He just watched them eat and laugh together. But thanks to Tedashii's kind but cunning heart, he also came by to give him a portion.

"Hope you are on board too, Makoto, was it?"

Makoto was pissed, but the hunger couldn't clasp itself back, so he took the portion. "Thanks…"

Tedashii wasn't convinced and grabbed the portion back.

"H…HEY! WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!"

"You forgot something. I will let you eat…as long as you acknowledge that we will be allies now. But I will be YOUR captain."

Makoto looked at him, still annoyed, so Tedashii walked back with the portion.  "WAIT!! ALRIGHT, thank you for the food, Cap…tin!"

Tedashii smiled at him and gave him his portion. He walked back, and Makoto decided to follow him to the others.

"Alright, guys, we're now a huge team! So how about we get to know each other?" Tedashii said as the fire ronin stood up.

"Nakamura Yuro. I'm a fire ronin." He said. He had orange spiky hair and blue eyes with a mark on his cheek by the lower left of his jaw.

"My name is Yakuza Rin. I'm a light ronin." he said. He had grey hair and red, cat-like eyes.

"I'm Yakuza Adrian. I'm a lantern-light type ronin." The ronin with the elf suit said.

"Motsubi Ado. I'm a lightning-type ronin. Pleased to meet you, captain." The lightning ronin said. He had black hair, a red strip in the middle, blue eyes, and a scar on his left cheek.

"It's Makoto Blake. I'm a Cassoule but took my mother's surname. I'm a steel type ronin, Cap…tin." Makoto said. He had black hair and blue eyes with a gun in his hand. After all of their introductions, all that was left was the only girl in their group.

"Oh! My name is Yakuza Leah. I'm a wind type ronin." She said. She had long red hair and red eyes with no pupils, just like Tedashii. He glanced at her for a moment before she noticed.

"H…HEY, WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT?!"

"EHH!?!? NOTHING, WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!"

They all laughed after, but Tedashii got serious all of a sudden. He took a portion of the last amount of meat with water and went towards the forest.

"Hey Su. Do you mind coming with me for a bit?"

Suzuki hummed and immediately followed him. The others stood up and followed.

"Wait! Where are you guys going?!" Tedashii asked.

"You forgot one thing, captain. We are a team now, so we'll have your back this time!" Yuro said as they all smiled back.

"We are missing just one more member. I think he needs this more than any of us right now."

They all paused to think of who it was, but nobody came to mind, so they just kept following him.

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"Pant, Pant, Pant…"

He kept on breathing as much as he could, for he faced predators that were off the list. These were A-ranked demoniacs. One had a club, and the other had a hammer. They both became vying towards him as he was no match on his own.

"This is bad; they won't go down no matter what I do." He said to himself, as his heart slowed down its beating rate. He fell to one knee and spat out blood. And just when he looked up, they both attacked him to finish him off.

CLING!!!

Their weapons clashed right before his eyes. He took a deep breath as he couldn't believe his luck. Adrian appeared before him and gave him the food and water. Leah was before them, casting a wind barrier that saved the steel ronin.

"Hey there, remember me?" Tedashii asked.

"You… you're Spike!"

Tedashii smiled.  "The name is Katsuno Tedashii. What about you?"

"…Franco…Cassoule Franco. W-why are you helping me?" Franco asked, puffing his cheeks. He tried his best to get up, but he fell again to the ground. Tedashii didn't answer. All he did was turn back and prepare his stance.

"I just want you to be part of my guild if we survive. What do you say?"

He ran past the barrier and attacked one of the demoniacs with a punch. It fell back as the other swung its weapon toward Tedashii.

BLAMM!!

Genti came to slow down the speed with water so Tedashii could easily dodge it. Yuro then kicked the other demoniac in the face, leaving them vulnerable. Rin then stood back for his special.

~Light Prowess: LIGHTS AND SHINE!!!

Light charged upon his arm and then formed a giant flash apparition. It was gliding around his back before he let the finishing blow. The demoniacs whirled both their weapons at him. The hammer and club clashed as Ado and Tedashii appeared above and slammed their weapons away from Rin.

"TIME TO LIGHT IT UP!!"

BOOOOOMMM!!!! 

The impact left the demoniacs to burn into ashes. Tedashii went back to lend Franco a helping hand. And so he got up and followed Tedashii to the others. As they arrived, only Makoto was infuriated, knowing that it was his childhood rival that Tedashii was referring to as the missing teammate.  "KE~VIN!! Good to see you, buddy!♡"

"For all that is good in life, it had to be YOU!?!?"

He tried to hug him, but Makoto grabbed his gun in self-defense. Franco laughed and stepped back, but Makoto didn't drop the gun. He then exhaled and then focused it straight on Tedashii.

"Sorry, Tedashii, but this is where we go our separate ways."

Everyone stopped smiling and stood on the side of Makoto and Franco. Tedashii, Genti, and Suzuki now had their guard up.  "Are you going to betray me after I saved your lives?"

"We were all in the same dream world. But after seeing your mark, you set our plan of going to the Guild selection on a halt. My mindset, as bad as it sounds, is like Franco's. I would never work under a Calamity."

Franco laughed and then set a verdict before Tedashii.  "You know what? Let's then do this. If you can beat me in a confined fight, you can stay as the captain, and we'll all work under you. BUT if I win, I get to be the Cap, and you will leave! CapCaph♡?"

Tedashii smiled as he knew he would have the advantage in a close-ranged fight.  "Alright, fine with me!"