The Last Bargain

Chapter V: Talent In Plain Sight

Zento and Shin walked together through the town, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows across the cobblestone streets. The gentle breeze carried with it the faint scent of blooming flowers, a stark contrast to the heavy conversation they were having. As they strolled, Zento listened intently to Shin's story, feeling a deep sense of empathy for the man beside him.

Shin spoke of a lifetime marked by wandering from place to place, never staying long enough to put down roots. His voice, though steady, betrayed a hint of frustration as he recounted the numerous attempts he had made to find his place in the world. "Everywhere I go, I see something new, something amazing, and I try to mimic it," he said. "But despite my best efforts, it's like I'm running in circles, never really moving forward."

Zento's heart ached at the thought. Shin had a rare and intriguing ability—the power to copy any movement he witnessed. Yet, instead of becoming an asset, it had become a burden. It was as though the more Shin tried to harness his gift, the more elusive it became. "I feel like I'm cursed," Shin continued, his gaze fixed on the ground. "No matter how hard I try, I can't seem to find any real purpose or success."

Zento looked at Shin with a mixture of sympathy and understanding. The struggle Shin faced was not unlike his own. As the heir to his clan, he was expected to lead with strength and vision, but the weight of these expectations often felt like a shackle, holding him back. "Maybe it's not as useless as you think," Zento suggested, his voice soft but firm. "Perhaps you just haven't discovered the right way to use it yet."

Shin shrugged, a gesture that spoke volumes of his desolation. "Maybe," he said, his tone lacking conviction. "But I've given up hoping for that."

The two continued walking, the silence between them heavy with unspoken thoughts. Zento's mind raced as he pondered the parallels between their lives. He wondered if he, too, was searching for a purpose he might never find. The doubts that had always lurked in the back of his mind began to surface with renewed intensity.

Their contemplative silence was abruptly broken as they neared the Dassou clan estate. Zento's heart skipped a beat as he noticed something was off. The usual sounds of training—clashing swords, shouting instructors, and the rhythmic thud of footsteps—were absent. Instead, an unsettling quiet blanketed the estate grounds. Zento's pace quickened, and Shin, sensing his urgency, hurried to keep up.

When they reached the main gate, Zento was met with a sight that froze him in his tracks. The entire clan house—once a bustling hub of activity and life—had been reduced to a massive, square crater. The once-familiar landscape was now a gaping void, as though the earth itself had been scooped away. The sight was so shocking that Zento felt as if the ground had been pulled out from under him. 

He fell to his knees, his mind reeling with shock and horror. "No... this can't be," he whispered, his voice trembling as he stared at the empty space where his home had stood. Memories of laughter, training sessions, and family gatherings seemed to swirl around him in a chaotic storm.

Shin stepped closer, peering over the edge of the crater with a look of bewildered concern. "What happened here?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. The question hung in the air, unanswered.

Zento shook his head, unable to find the words to explain the unexplainable. His thoughts raced, grappling with the reality of what he was seeing. His mind was clouded with a new, gnawing fear—one that extended beyond his personal doubts and the pressures of leadership. It was a fear of an unknown force capable of erasing entire clans from existence, a force that now seemed all too real.

As the gravity of the situation settled in, Zento felt a chill run down his spine. The future he had once feared, filled with uncertainties and doubts, seemed to have manifested in the most horrifying way possible. The sense of foreboding that had been lurking in the shadows of his mind now loomed large and menacing. He realized that the challenge he faced was no longer just about finding his own path or fulfilling expectations. It was about confronting an existential threat that could obliterate everything he held dear.

Zento stood up, his resolve hardening despite the fear that gripped him. The path ahead was fraught with peril, and the safety of his people was now at stake. With a determined look, he turned to Shin. "We need to find out what happened here," he said, his voice steady despite the turmoil within. "And we need to find a way to stop it from happening again."

Shin nodded, the flicker of determination in his eyes reflecting Zento's own. As they prepared to investigate the crater and uncover the truth behind the disaster, both men felt a newfound sense of purpose. Their personal struggles and doubts were momentarily set aside in the face of a larger, more urgent challenge. The future was uncertain, but together, they would face whatever lay ahead.