Chapter 2: The Path of Vengeance
The stench of blood filled the air. The floor of the Izzo estate was stained crimson, bodies piled atop one another. Ardyn, only seven years old, stood frozen, his small hands trembling as he gazed at the lifeless form of his older brother, Phirdyn. His heart pounded in his chest. The sounds of battle echoed all around him—clashing steel, agonized screams, and the relentless war cries of his clan. The Izzo clan, the most feared assassins in Japan, were engaged in an all-out war with the forces of Mai Kingdom.
"Ardyn, we have to go!" his grandmother's voice broke through his daze. Her wrinkled hands gripped his wrist tightly, pulling him away from the carnage.
Tears burned his eyes as he turned away from Phirdyn's lifeless body. The last thing he saw before boarding the small boat was the battlefield—his people slaughtering and being slaughtered in turn. The world was a nightmare.
—
Nine years later…
Ardyn was now sixteen years old. The innocent child who once cried over his brother's death had grown into a hardened young man, standing in the middle of Kyoto's city center. His jet-black hair swayed in the breeze, and his crimson eyes gleamed with silent fury. His body had changed—lean, powerful, honed for battle. He clenched his fists as he walked toward the Izzo estate, the stronghold of his clan.
Beside him walked his childhood friend, Kai. The two had been inseparable since that fateful night.
Kai sighed, placing his hands behind his head. "This world has truly become a nightmare, hasn't it?"
Ardyn exhaled sharply. "Nightmare or not, I won't stand by and let it control me." He turned to Kai, his gaze unwavering. "Kai, will you stand with me? Even if the whole world turns against us?"
Kai grinned. "Of course, Ardyn. No matter what happens, I'll be by your side."
Ardyn gave a small nod. He knew he couldn't do this alone. The world was filled with assassins, clans waging war in the shadows, all for power and survival. If he wanted to change things, he needed allies.
—
When they arrived at their school, Ardyn wasted no time. He gathered a group of students, young warriors who had trained under the Izzo clan, and spoke plainly.
"I am forming an elite assassin group," he announced. "One that doesn't serve power-hungry fools or corrupt clans. We'll make our own path."
Whispers filled the room. Many students looked away, afraid. The Izzo clan had ruled with an iron fist for decades—defying them meant death.
"Ardyn, are you crazy?" one student finally spoke up. "No one goes against the Izzo clan and survives."
Kai smirked. "Then we'll be the first."
Before the discussion could continue, a messenger arrived from the Izzo estate.
"Ardyn," the man said, bowing slightly. "The clan head, Miyamoto Izzo, has summoned you."
Ardyn's grandfather.
—
Inside the estate, Miyamoto Izzo sat on a throne-like chair, his face worn with age but his eyes still sharp as steel. He was a legend, the man who had built the Izzo clan into what it was today.
Ardyn kneeled before him. "You summoned me, Grandfather?"
Miyamoto leaned forward. "It's time for your first mission."
Ardyn's breath slowed. This was it—the moment he had waited for.
"You are to assassinate the man who killed your brother."
Ardyn's heart pounded. His fingers curled into fists.
"The target is a high-ranking guard from Mai Kingdom," Miyamoto continued. "The US Clan from America has placed a bounty of 50 million yen on his head. You will eliminate him tonight."
Silence filled the room.
Then, Ardyn smirked.
"So... it's finally time?" His voice was calm, but his blood boiled with anticipation.
Phirdyn's murderer was still out there, living freely while his brother rotted in the ground. That would end tonight.
Kai, who stood beside him, glanced at Ardyn. "Are you sure about this?"
Ardyn didn't hesitate. "I've been waiting for this for nine years."
Tonight, Kyoto would be painted red.