Chapter 5: The Mark of the Cherry Blossom

  Somewhere deep inside the Black Orlov.

  The silhouette at the pink stone emerged slowly. Her voice sounded wise, experienced, and yet there was a confident tone to it – almost proud.

  “Master... the man Sobek has lost his mark of the cherry blossom...

  A moment of silence.

  ”But he is still alive."

  Up on the throne, in complete darkness, the Master spoke in a deep, calm voice:

  “Then find him. And finish it.”

  The silhouette bowed its head slightly. Its answer was clear and without hesitation:

  “Understood, Master.”

  She closed her eyes. The pink stone slowly lost its light, and before it went out completely, the silhouette disappeared into a portal behind her.

  The master raised his voice again – urgent and decisive:

  “The rest of you prepare yourselves. We are striking at the Feast of Hope.”

  No words came back. No questions. Only obedience.

  One by one, the silhouettes disappeared. And with each one that left, the light of her stone went out.

  Then, just before the last one could disappear, the master's voice sounded again:

  “Ameth... accompany Izun. And kill her if she makes another mistake. We will not tolerate weakness.”

  A reply followed – calm, dark, with a voice that sounded as heavy as stone:

  “But with pleasure...”

  A deep, malicious laugh followed – one that did not bode well.

  Then Ameth also disappeared. And his light went out.

  In the Citrine hospital.

  The room was silent, filled only with the soft beeping of the devices connected to the man lying motionless in bed. Sobek – his body weakened, wrapped in bandages, attached to tubes – looked like a shadow of his former self.

  A young woman, barely older than twenty, silently checked the readings. Her name was Marlie, a trainee healer. She made a note in her notebook, then looked up at Taro, who was leaning against the door with his arms folded.

  “How long will it take for him to recover?” he asked calmly.

  Marlie pulled the blanket up to the patient's chest, stepped to the door and answered in a sober voice, “His injuries were life-threatening. But it's a miracle he survived. Even a few trained healers can only achieve something like that. I estimate he needs about two more weeks.”

  She left the room and closed the door behind her.

  Taro pushed himself away from the wall, went to the bed and stopped just in front of it. He began to murmur softly, more to himself than to anyone else.

  “Whether he'll be safe until then is a completely different question... The Black Orlov will do everything they can to keep him quiet forever.” His forehead furrowed. “And the person with the power of the Cherry Blossom Mark... she'll kill him if she has to. But what exactly is this divine blessing? What else is behind it?”

  He snorted, ran his hand through his hair. “Too many questions...”

  Then his gaze wandered to the wall. “And then there's Shin... What an incredible blessing. I'd like to learn more about him. The boy seems to have little control over his powers... But he can teleport with that mist... transport others... even heal wounds?”

  He exhaled heavily.

  “As long as I work for the Kingdom of Flores, it will be difficult for me to continue accompanying him...”

  His gaze became more thoughtful, almost soft. “Shin... Why were you lying half dead in those woods? What happened?” He growled softly. “More questions again... how annoying.”

  At that moment, there was a knock at the door.

  “Come in,” Taro said.

  The door opened slowly.

  A woman entered – tall, erect, with an air that wavered between elegance and dangerous self-confidence.

  Taro raised an eyebrow. “Who are you, dear lady? A relative of the patient?”

  The woman strode calmly into the room, looking down at him. Her voice was quiet, almost eerily calm.

  “I am Izun. Rosa Stein of the Black Orlov.”

  Taro blinked. His posture tensed.

  “Is it wise to simply tell a stranger that you are one of the five stones that are being sought?”

  Izun smiled wryly. “It wouldn't make any difference to a one-armed beetle whether I lie to him... if he's going to die anyway, would it?”

  She stepped closer, stopping in front of Taro and looking down at him.

  Taro held her gaze. “So you can absorb information through the cherry blossom mark... Then why don't you show me what else you can do?”

  Without hesitation, Izun reached out — her hand closed around Taro's neck, lifting him off the ground with an effortless movement.

  “Now,” she breathed, “I want to know what's behind your mask.”

  But before she could act, the door flew open. Sana stormed into the room. Her eyes immediately fell on Taro, who was hanging in the air.

  “Taro?! You're always getting into trouble...”

  Taro gasped, “It's not my choice... but could you maybe... help?”

  Without hesitation, Sana pulled a fold-out rod out of her pocket, swung, and hit it against Izun's head.

  Blood dripped — but Izun didn't let go.

  She remained standing, unmoving, turning her head slightly as if the pain meant nothing.

  But the moment of distraction was enough — Taro kicked her in the stomach with all his might. Her grip loosened, and he was able to free himself from her embrace with a jerk.

  Izun turned her gaze to Sana. Her tone became eerily gentle.

  “You already have it on you, my dear.”

  Sana's eyes widened. “What…?”

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  Taro opened his eyes wide. A thought flashed through his mind – the mark...

  When Sana helped the man on the bridge... when she touched his skin...

  “Sana! Get out of here, now!” he shouted.

  But Izun just smiled coldly.

  “Activate.”

  A burning glow engulfed Sana. Her body twitched. Pain shot through her.

  The cherry blossom spread visibly over her body.

  Her eyes – shaped like two blood-red cherry blossoms.

  She turned. Stood still.

  And then – on Izun's side.

  Izun gently placed her hand on her head.

  “Good girl. Now... let's kill the bad guys.”

  Sana stormed towards Taro with the pole.

  Taro reacted quickly, pushing the bed with Sobek aside with his foot so that it rolled against the wall.

  “Sorry... that might have hurt,” he murmured.

  Then he blocked Sana's blows. But she was faster, stronger – her physique had changed.

  “Your strength... has been greatly increased. Not exactly the best conditions for me,” Taro growled.

  Izun was standing behind her, forming a glowing cherry blossom with both hands.

  Her expression remained unchanged.

  “Cherry Blossom Dance.”

  Thousands of petals shot through the room, swirling and blocking the view.

  Taro could hardly see anything anymore. But the blows did not stop.

  Sana kept striking again and again.

  “This room... is too small for two opponents.”

  He dodged another blow, kicked Sana with a spinning kick and hurled her back – then he stormed straight towards Izun.

  A punch – straight to her face.

  The hit hurled her through the wall, out into the hallway.

  The healers outside screamed and jumped apart.

  Taro stepped out of the hole in the wall. “Evacuate the hospital. Now!”

  Izun slowly straightened up. Blood was running from her lip.

  “Who would have thought... that you could pack so much power into a punch, one-armed bug...”

  Izun formed three cherry blossoms with both hands – vibrant, glowing, alive.

  “Cherry Blossom Charm!”

  She moved her arms to the side, elegant and jerky at the same time. The blossoms came off her hands and attached themselves to a metal cupboard and a chair. Then she jerked her hands forward – the two objects shot towards Taro.

  He easily fended off the chair.

  The cupboard, however, hit him with full force, but Taro was able to hurl it sideways down the hall with a powerful punch.

  “I see... what versatility.”

  Izun's eyes sparkled.

  “Activate!”

  Her body was covered by the mark of the cherry blossom. Muscles tensed, her form grew, her aura thickened – stronger, bigger, unstoppable.

  “Ahhh... what beauty. What power,” she murmured and charged forward.

  Hundreds of fists flew at Taro – fast and furious, like a storm.

  But he kept up.

  Again and again, his left fist struck against hers, blocking, dodging, parrying.

  Nevertheless, some of her blows landed.

  “With only one arm, I'm at a slight disadvantage...” he growled, panting.

  Then – his gaze wandered.

  Sana. She approached the bed, the pole in her hand. Her eyes were empty. Her steps purposeful.

  She was going to kill Sobek.

  Izun grinned. “Make up your mind...”

  Taro took a deep breath.

  Then he struck.

  A fierce blow – right under her chin.

  The impact hurled Izun upwards, breaking through part of the ceiling, and debris fell, burying her.

  At the same moment, Sana swung the rod.

  But just before she hit – the mark dissolved.

  Sana's body went limp. She lost consciousness and collapsed.

  Taro turned, breathed a sigh of relief, walked towards her –

  But then...

  The rod in Sana's hand lifted by itself.

  A single cherry blossom could be seen on it.

  Without warning, the rod shot through the air –

  – and pierced the heart of Sobek.

  Taro opened his eyes wide.

  He ran.

  But it was too late.

  Sobek's body twitched, then went still.

  His gaze stared in the direction of the debris.

  Taro followed the gaze – and saw through it.

  It wasn't Izun lying there.

  But the wardrobe.

  The one she had used against him.

  “Bloody hell...”

  In the Black Orlov's hideout.

  A portal opened.

  Izun stepped through, injured, bleeding.

  Behind her – another figure.

  A man, tall, bare-chested, covered in scars. His teeth sharp, his aura dark.

  Ameth. Purple stone.

  He emerged from the portal like a predator.

  “Izun... you are a disgrace,” he hissed.

  Izun leaned against a rock wall, panting, wiped the blood from her mouth and sat down on the ground. “Sobek is dead. What more do you want?”

  Ameth knelt down beside her, his eyes staring at her piercingly.

  “You should be dead.”

  Then he stood up again.

  Suddenly – footsteps.

  Cold. Heavy.

  They echoed across the stone floor, coming closer.

  Izun raised her head. Her eyes scanned the darkness.

  Ameth spoke with a furrowed brow: “Did you follow us, stranger?”

  Then light fell on the figure.

  Bandages all over his upper body.

  Shin.

  His voice sounded weak. “Why am I in a cold cave...?”

  Ameth grimaced. “How should I know how you got in here?!”

  Izun sat up straight, staring at him. “This is the stranger who freed Sobek from the mark...”

  Ameth's eyes widened – then he grinned.

  “Then I'll find out how strong you are, kid.”

  He opened a portal – and punched through it.

  A second portal opened behind Shin – the fist hit him hard, hurling him forward.

  Shin staggered, his body weak, exhausted.

  Ameth grimaced in disappointment. “Weak... this boy can barely stand on his feet. I'm not interested in him.”

  Then he turned to Izun.

  “Make up for your mistakes – and I'll let you live.”

  Izun passed Ameth without a word. Her gaze was cold, her breathing heavy.

  “You better keep your word,” she snarled.

  Then she shouted: “Activate!”

  Once more, the mark of the cherry blossom covered her skin. Her body grew, her aura pulsated. Strength and anger flared up like a wild fire.

  “Tell me, boy...” she hissed, “how did you remove the mark from that man?”

  Shin straightened up slowly, his body still weak, his gaze determined.

  Suddenly, the dark mist poured out of him – threatening, silent.

  And then it happened:

  The mark on Izun's body began to fade. First on the arms, then on the shoulders. Her strength faded, her muscles retracted.

  The mark of the cherry blossom... dissolved.

  Izun stared at him in disbelief.

  “What... did you do?”

  Shin stepped forward, his steps heavy, his eyes burning.

  “I will never lose again... I have to get stronger.”

  Ameth, in the background, briefly grimaced.

  “So he has a divine blessing. This could be interesting.”

  Izun ground her teeth. The hatred in her grew.

  “I can beat a kid like you without a blessing. Die, you brat!”

  With a punch, she stormed at Shin – fast and furious.

  But Shin's eyes were now pitch black.

  He drew his sword.

  A portal opened – Izun disappeared.

  But her right arm remained.

  Another crack in the air, and Izun staggered screaming out of a new portal. Her arm was severed, her body shook with pain.

  “Ameth...” she gasped.

  Ameth approached her slowly.

  “Without my help, you would be dead by now.”

  But their conversation was interrupted –

  Shin stood before Izun.

  His voice sounded cold.

  “Leave this world.”

  A sword stroke – precise, merciless.

  Izun's body was torn apart, dissolved in a wave of power and mist.

  Shin stood still.

  Then he threw his sword at Ameth – as fast as lightning.

  Ameth dodged – but Shin had already disappeared, reappearing by the sword, attacking with a whirling spin.

  Ameth was just able to dodge, but the blow completely sliced through the stone wall behind him.

  “You miserable bastard!” he screamed in rage.

  His counterattack – through a portal.

  But Shin was faster.

  The fog crept across the ground, flared up.

  “Faster...”

  Shin let go of his sword. It sank into the fog.

  Then he charged.

  Ameth disappeared in the portal – but the fog followed him, pulled him back.

  Shin struck – a fist like a clap of thunder.

  Ameth was beaten through his own portal, flew out of another, crashed hard against rock.

  Shin ran after him.

  His right hand moved over the fog, pulled the sword out of it.

  One last attack.

  The hit was massive – Ameth screamed.

  He tried to block the blow – but lost his left hand in the process.

  Another portal – this time under his feet. But the mist had already enveloped him.

  “How... ?!” Ameth gasped.

  Shin raised his sword – ready for the final blow.

  Then – an arrow.

  It hit Shin in the shoulder.

  The pain made him flinch – the blow missed.

  Ameth took the opportunity to step through the portal – and escape.

  Shin followed the flickering rift with his eyes –

  and then she came.

  A new figure emerged from the portal.

  An unknown person in noble armor, sword unsheathed.

  The person attacked – her speed, deadly.

  Metal clashed against metal, blade against blade.

  A dance of precision and will.

  Again and again their swords crashed against each other.

  Shin pushed her back – but she changed weapons in a flash.

  An arc appeared in her hand, an arrow flew – Shin blocked it with a slash, but the fog was pushed aside.

  Then – a fan.

  She whirled, hurling gusts of wind at him.

  Shin cut her in two with his sword, working his way forward.

  One last cut – the edge of the portal was reached.

  But the wind had pushed the fog back.

  The portal closed.

  Shin's sword dissolved into the fog.

  Silence.

  The cave was devastated.

  Blood dripped onto the ground.

  His bandages were in tatters at his feet.

  And then – a voice.

  Distorted. Quiet.

  “Shin...”