Kai stood facing , determination etched onto his features, though the subtle tremble in his eyes betrayed the storm within. I leaned back against the wall, my hands still in my pockets, watching him coolly.
My gaze shifted briefly to the group of n behind him—so bruised, so visibly shaken, all uncertain. They kneeled as a mass, but I saw them for what they were: thirty lives hanging by a thread, waiting for his word to bind them into sothing new... or to let them scatter like dust in the wind.
"So," I began, my tone light, laced with challenge, "tell —what would you like to do to save them?"
Kai swallowed. His glance flickered to the n, the weight of their dependence visibly settling on his shoulders. I could almost see it—the realisation sinking in. These were not just warriors; they were fathers, brothers, sons. If he wanted to take my place, he would need to bear this burden without faltering. This was only thirty. I already had thousands under my watch. If this rattled him, he wasn’t ready.
"I-I want to give them a place to live in Oasis," he said, voice small but determined.
I tilted my head slightly, my hands still buried in the pockets of my coat. "And what about their dream of being knights?"
"Th-they could be... Ryujin family’s knights?" he offered weakly.
I couldn’t help the brief scoff. "We don’t have knights, Kai. You know that. The Ryujin army is comprised of assassins—quiet, lethal, and ten tis more efficient than any knight order in this or any other kingdom." I let the weight of that truth hang in the air. His idea was romantic, noble even—but impractical. He flinched, clearly struggling.
"Th-then... they could take assassin training... but we give them the title of knights?" he offered, desperate to bridge the gap between what the n dread and what was realistic.
I raised an eyebrow, mildly amused. "So, honorary knights who kill like assassins?"
He flushed. "It’s symbolic."
"Oasis is already overflowing with people," I reminded him evenly.
"Then... what about a new township?"
"A township isn’t a small tent pitched overnight, Kai. It needs the King’s permission. And once we go through the royal channels, it’s only a matter of ti before the Queen catches wind of it. You know what that ans." I didn’t need to spell it out. One wrong move, and everything we were building could unravel.
Kai’s fingers twitched as he tried to hold the crumbling pieces of his plan together. His eyes darted, mind racing. For a mont, I thought he’d give up.
But then, sothing clicked.
He looked at the n behind him again, then back at . "What if... they’re scattered? In teams. Sent to the Underworld cities. They can train there. When the ti cos, we pull them in wherever they’re needed. Until then, they live with their families, build new lives. And work toward becoming what they dream to be."
I narrowed my eyes, gauging the idea. It had rit. Flexibility. Secrecy. It was a compromise rooted in strategy.
"And the Lords of those cities? You’d have to get their approval first."
He didn’t hesitate this ti. "I-I’ll talk to them."
"You will?"
"Yes."
"And what if they refuse?"
His hands clenched at the hem of his cloak, but his voice didn’t shake this ti. "They wouldn’t refuse an order from the Master of Oasis and the Underworld Cities."
My gaze sharpened. "So you an I have to talk to them?"
A pause. Then, softer, "I-I will talk to them... but... I request your help, Master."
There it was—the humility in ambition. The willingness to ask. I tilted my head, watching him closely.
"All right."
Relief surged in his expression, but I wasn’t done. My eyes drifted back to the n.
"But what’s the guarantee, Kai," I said, voice dropping to that cold steel he’d co to fear, "that these n—who’ve served the Golden Serpent won’t stab us in the back the mont we turn around?"
Several of them flinched. Good. They should. Truth wasn’t always gentle.
"You do know I root out anything that even slls like a threat, don’t you?" I turned back to him, eyes sharp. "This is more than giving them shelter. You’re vouching for them. Have you asked if they’re even willing to follow you?"
He blinked.
"You’re making a decision for thirty lives. But loyalty isn’t born out of desperation—it must be chosen. So, Kai, ask them. Now. Look them in the eye and find out whether they’d choose you, choose Oasis, choose this path we’re offering—or whether they’re just trying to survive long enough to bite us later."
The room fell into stillness. The air felt heavy. Kai turned, slowly, to face the n behind him.
Now it wasn’t just a test of ideas. It was a test of leadership.
The n exchanged hesitant glances. Their resolve, already crumbling after learning the Queen viewed them as nothing more than disposable arms, now hovered on the edge of sothing new—fear, perhaps. Or hope. But I couldn’t afford to be moved by either. Not yet. Trust wasn’t given; it had to be earned. Slowly. Thoroughly.
"We... we will serve you till our last breath!" one of them declared.
"We pledge our loyalty to you!" another added.
Then, one by one, they dropped to their knees, fists pressed to their chests, heads bowed in solemn unison.
"Do you even know the na of the Master you’re pledging yourselves to?" I asked, my voice low, razor-sharp. "Do you understand whose banner you’re offering your loyalty to?"
The silence that followed was heavy.
So of them looked up at , others glanced sideways at Kai.
I pushed myself off the wall and began walking forward, slow and deliberate. They stiffened, their bodies instinctively tightening with unease as I closed the distance, each footstep like the striking of a gavel. I stopped just a breath away from Kai.
"My na," I said, my voice steady, "is Ocean Ryujin, as you all know."
I turned my eyes to Kai, who blinked, startled, before taking a slow step forward.
"I... I’m Kai Nereus Ryujin," he said.
For a beat, silence.
Then—
"We pledge our loyalty to Master Kai Ryujin—till our last breath leaves our lungs and till the last drop of blood is in our bodies!"
The shout rang out in perfect unison, like a declaration etched into stone.
Kai flinched under the weight of it, the sheer force of their voices pressing into him. I placed a hand gently on his shoulder, steadying him before he could instinctively recoil. He looked up at , wide-eyed.
I smiled.
"Congratulations, child. You’ve cleared your first mission successfully."
For a second, he just stared at —then the emotion spilled over. His eyes glistened, and with a quiet sniffle, he threw his arms around , burying his face against my chest like the boy he still was beneath all that burden.
I chuckled softly, patting his back.
"Tell them to rise first," I whispered into his ear. "And don’t cry like this—not in front of them. You’re a Master of a combat team now. Don’t let your n see you falter."
He quickly stepped back, sniffling again as he wiped his face with the edge of my cloak, embarrassed.
"Y-Yes," he mumbled.
My eyes found Lyall, who stood behind the group. A soft, rare smile played at the corners of his mouth—a quiet pride in his gaze.
Kai drew in a breath, then straightened his shoulders. The tremble in his voice was gone now, replaced by a newfound steel.
"Everyone, lift your heads!" he ordered.
The n looked up at him, the tension in their eyes slowly giving way to sothing else—respect.
"Mr. Lyall," Kai said, "please release them from their restraints."
Lyall stepped forward without a word, his movents precise as he unlocked their shackles. The n rose to their feet, many swaying or leaning into one another for support—their injuries still evident, but their stance no longer that of prisoners.
Kai looked at first, almost instinctively, and I gave him a small nod.
Then I turned to my own team who was responsible for bringing all these n here.
"You all did well," I said to them, my voice cutting through the tension like a blade. "Bringing them here without incident was not a small task."
These weren’t just any of my n. They were the Eldarf kids—my secret edge. Faster and stronger than ordinary humans, they had beco my quiet shadows, and they’d carried out their first mission with flawless precision. I had sent them to fetch the pests who were trying to ss with my peaceful places and here stood these n, tad, transford and kneeling before their new Master.
Not because of fear.
But because, perhaps for the first ti, soone had chosen to see them.
I glanced once at Kai. He stepped closer to the n, clasping his hands together in a quiet, prayer-like gesture. A soft blue light blood around him, warm and vibrant, casting a healing glow that wrapped itself around the injured n like the embrace of the ocean itself.
I smiled faintly, pride blooming in my chest as I watched him. Then, turning away, I looked back toward the kids.
"You all can return to your place now," I said.
Cyrus blinked, incredulous. "Pardon? We can?"
"Yes. Every one of you," I affird.
"Even ?" Sylvia asked.
I glanced at Kai—who was too focused on healing to notice—then back at her.
"Maybe not you," I said, and her face lit up like dawn.
"All right!"
"That’s not fair!" the others groaned in unison.
I couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped. "All right now—chop, chop! Back ho, all of you."
I clapped my hands lightly and turned to Asher, who’d been silent this entire ti, observing.
"Bring them back ho, Asher," I instructed.
He gave a bow, then after a glance at Kai which clearly showed his pride and happiness he wordlessly guided the group out. Their reluctant footsteps echoed behind him, fading slowly.
Turning back, I saw the n now smiling and laughing, marveling at their restored bodies. But Kai—his face had gone pale, the drain of mana clearly taking its toll.
"Lyall," I called softly as I walked toward Kai, who had started to sway on his feet.
"I’ll leave their dispatch to you."
Lyall bowed. "Yes, Master."
I steadied Kai with a hand on his shoulder just as he began to lose balance.
The n looked at us, their faces glowing with relief and gratitude.
"Thank you—thank you so much, Master!" several called out.
Lyall cleared his throat, sharp as ever. "It’s Young Master Kai. Master Ocean is still alive. Kindly use the correct title."
The n blinked, faltering slightly under his stern tone, before nodding.
"Y-Young Master Kai!" they echoed, trying to adjust.
I nodded once, acknowledging them before focusing fully on Kai. He looked seconds away from collapsing.
"I’m taking him back," I told Lyall. "You can finish the task here."
Lyall bowed again. "Yes, Master."
I pulled Kai gently toward , supporting his weight as we walked out. As soon as we were outside, I scooped him into my arms without hesitation. He slumped against , resting his head on my shoulder, a faint groan escaping his lips.
"You did amazing work, Kai," I whispered.
He humd, a tired smile tugging at his lips. "It’s all... thanks to you... Master," he murmured, drifting off into sleep.
I smiled down at him, my steps soft as I carried him away from the battlefield—and into the calm he had earned.
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