Ash knelt in seiza before the Raiju elder, his gaze unwavering as the weight of expectation bore down on him. The flickering lanterns cast shifting shadows against the wooden beams, their dim glow illuminating the solemn hall. Silence stretched between them, thick with unspoken truths and the lingering scent of incense.


    The elder''s piercing eyes studied Ash, waiting. "Now tell me, Ash. Why have you come?"


    Ash inhaled deeply, steadying himself. He had concealed his true purpose for too long, shrouding it behind the trials and the rites of the Raiju. But there was no point in deception now. The time for truth had come.


    "I took the Warrior Trials, the Path of the Hunt, and swore the Warrior''s Oath not just to prove my worth," Ash admitted, his voice calm but firm. "I did it to find out the truth—if my father still lives. And if he does, I will rescue him. I only saw an empty cell, but I didn''t know that Ryouma Shirogiri—my father—was now known as Kuro no Yūrei, The Black Ghost."


    A murmur rippled through the gathered warriors who stood in silent attendance. Some exchanged brief glances, but none spoke. The elder''s expression remained unreadable, though his gaze sharpened, as if weighing Ash''s very soul.


    The elder''s eyes narrowed slightly. "You seek to rescue Kuro no Yūrei," he repeated, his tone carrying neither judgment nor approval—only understanding. "Even knowing what he is? Even knowing how he came to be one of us?"


    Ash did not waver. "Yes."


    The elder regarded him for a long moment before speaking. "Then you must first understand the truth of who he has become."


    The Betrayal of Kuro no Yūrei


    The elder sighed, his gaze dark with memory. "Your father was not always one of us. He came from beyond the stars, an outsider lost in a world that sought to consume him. When the Raiju took him, they did not expect him to last. They sought to break him, to mold him into something lesser. But he did not break. He fought. He survived. And in doing so, he earned his place among us."


    Ash''s breath caught in his throat. He had spent his life believing his father had been a willing participant in the Raiju''s ways. Now, the truth unraveled before him, painting a picture of betrayal and survival.


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    The Rise of the Ghost Warlord


    "He was given a name by the Raiju—Kuro no Yūrei, the Black Ghost. Not just a warrior, but a force beyond reckoning," the elder continued. "He adapted to our ways with a ferocity no one expected. Every challenge, every battle, he emerged stronger. He became more than legend—he became Raiju."


    Ash felt a strange mixture of awe and sorrow. This was the father he had never known, the warrior who had carved his own fate into the bones of a world that should have destroyed him. And yet, it did not explain why he remained.


    Blood Oath to the Raiju


    "When he rose to power, the elders demanded his loyalty. They did not trust an outsider to walk freely among them without an unbreakable vow. And so, he swore an oath," the elder revealed. "A blood oath that bound him to the Raiju for eternity. If he leaves, his life is forfeit."


    Ash''s heart pounded. "Then he is their prisoner."


    "No." The elder''s voice was firm. "He is their warlord. He swore willingly. He chose his fate."


    Bound by Honor


    "He could have refused," Ash said through gritted teeth. "He could have fought back."


    "And been hunted until his last breath. But it is more than that," the elder said. "Honor is not a chain, but a choice. Kuro no Yūrei was given a purpose—something greater than himself. He swore to protect these people, to lead them, to fight for them. His life is not his own to take back."


    Ash''s head spun. The father he had searched for was not a captive, but a warlord who had chosen his path.


    A Cursed Warrior


    "And yet, there is another reason he cannot leave," the elder added grimly. "The elders ensured it. Through spirit or science, they wove a binding into his very essence. He is Raiju now in more than just name. Should he step beyond their land, his body will fail, his spirit will shatter. They have made certain that their warlord will never abandon them."


    Ash exhaled sharply. His father''s fate was sealed long ago. To leave would be death. To stay was to live bound to a cause not his own.


    He stood, his mind racing.


    Now, he had to decide. Would he accept this truth—or find a way to break the unbreakable?


    The elder leaned back slightly, his expression contemplative. "Tell me, Ash. What will you do if your father refuses to leave? If he has chosen his place among the Raiju, will you still attempt to take him from us?"


    Ash''s jaw tightened, but his resolve did not waver. "Elder, I understand your warning, and I respect your wisdom," he said, his voice steady despite the storm within him. "But he is still my father. If he has truly chosen to stay, I need to hear it from him myself."


    The elder''s eyes locked with Ash''s, studying him in silence for a long moment. Finally, he nodded. "Very well. You will have your answer soon."


    He turned and spoke a few quiet words in an ancient tongue. Moments later, the heavy doors of the hall groaned open, and the atmosphere seemed to shift. A presence loomed beyond the threshold, unseen but undeniable.


    "Remain here, Ash." The elder''s voice was solemn. "Your father will come to you."


    Ash stood motionless, his pulse hammering in his chest. The flickering lanterns cast restless shadows as the silence deepened.


    The elder''s voice softened. "May the storm guide you, warrior. And may you be ready for the truth that comes with it."