Chapter 32: Ripples Beneath the Surface
The training hall echoed with the clash of wooden weapons, the shouts of instructors, and the heavy breaths of soldiers pushing their limits. Among them, Hideo Takumi walked in silence, his gaze locked onto one figure in particular—a broad-shouldered man with a scar above his brow and the fierce eyes of a beast constantly hunting.
The man was no stranger. Though they had never spoken face-to-face, Hideo had already received several reports—Zane, a former underground fighter, now serving as one of the strongest members of Takumi's internal guard.
Hideo stopped in place and took a shallow breath.
"Skill Activated: Learn (~)"
"Scanning Target..."
"Status Appraisal Active"
A soft blue flicker crossed his vision. A translucent screen unfolded before him.
"Status Window"
Name: Zane
Race: Human
Age: 23
Job: Warrior (B) | Mage (F)
Current Stats:
Mana: E
Strength: B+
Intelligence: C
Agility: C
Endurance: B
Skills: Combat Instinct (D), Adaptive Reflex (E), Breath Control (F), Mana Tempering (F)
B-rank Warrior and F-rank Mage... interesting.
You let your body speak first, but you're not completely blind to energy flow.
Hideo narrowed his eyes slightly. He didn't say a word, but in his mind, Zane's name was already marked—someone worth keeping close for what lay ahead.
Without a backward glance, he dismissed the window and continued walking, though the image of those beast-like eyes and the faint scar on Zane's temple stayed vivid in his mind.
Abe Residence — The Quiet Fox's Game
Across the capital, a different storm was brewing at the estate of House Abe.
Grand Duke Dai Wanli stormed through the gates with his guards in formation behind him, tension radiating like a drawn blade. The man's fury was visible in every step—his grandson had been humiliated, and someone was going to pay.
But rather than resistance, he was greeted by an oasis of calm.
Abe Youran awaited him with a composed smile, his posture as serene as a still pond.
"Welcome, Grand Duke. We've prepared the guest hall for you," he said gently, as if there weren't a single drop of tension in the air.
The moment Dai stepped inside, that fierce momentum he'd brought was swallowed whole by Youran's stillness. No resistance, no excuses—just carefully brewed tea and a room that offered no target to lash out at.
Even when a teacup shattered in his grasp, Youran merely gave a soft glance and ordered another, this time from his grandfather's private reserve.
Eventually, the Grand Duke demanded answers. He was taken to the inner disciplinary wing.
There, Abe Ishi and his cousins lay injured, their wounds still fresh. Their confessions were honest, trembling with shame—Mori Haizou had manipulated them. They admitted it all: the deceit, the poisoned games, the public disgrace.
Youran stood silently at the side, never inserting himself, never claiming innocence. But by the time Duke Dai left for the Mori residence, he'd made up his mind.
One family had disciplined their own.
The other... had not.
Later that evening, Abe Youran stood in the courtyard, his white robes fluttering as rain began to pour.
He didn't seek shelter.
He simply looked up at the grey skies above, voice barely audible over the downpour.
"The heavens always know where the storm should strike."
The smile that curled on his lips no longer belonged to a gracious host—
It belonged to a fox who had just turned a raging lion... against someone else's den.