Thousands of Cherry Blossom ( Rise of a King )

Chapter III : Encounter

As the sun began to rise Wayne found himself awake before it even rise.

Wayne's thoughts
'What is going on?'
'I haven't been myself ever since I met that girl'

Mom notices her son heading downstairs
"Wow you're up early ?"

Wayne responded
"Yeah I can't sleep really well"
"I had a weird dream"

Mom scratches her chin and responded
"Maybe you have a fever?"
As she touch her son's forehead

Wayne responded
"No mom, maybe I'm just tired"

Mom said
"Well you do look tired"

Wayne asked
"Mom what are we having for breakfast?"
"I'm hungry"

Mom responded
"What do you want to eat?"

Wayne responded
"I'd like a sausage please"

As the time progresses Wayne is done having breakfast and preparing for today's work.

Wayne said
"I'm off to work mom"

Mom said
"Be Careful!"

He manages to forget about meeting joy, as he work the thoughts he had became clear. Thinking that he was just having a bad dream later that night.

But unfortunately the meeting with the strange hooded girl doesn't end there. He was walking after work to get to the bus station on the way home when he stumbled upon the hooded girl on the way there.

The silence in the air as their eyes locked was breathtaking as Wayne doesn't know what will happen next. He can't bring himself to run away because the girl doesn't seem dangerous but he is feeling breathless as if he was staring at the deep abyss. The silence stop when the girl approached him.

"Hi how are you ?"
She asked

Wayne answered
"I'm okay, how did you know I was here?"

She answers
"I know a lot of things"

Wayne asked another question
"Do you need something from me?"

She said
"Well yes"

Wayne asked again
"What do you need?"

She said
"Do you have time to talk?"

As she asked that Wayne looked at his watch for a second and said yes. They're walking beside each other and the silence is deafening. The next words that came out of Joy's mouth is enough to shake him down.

She said
"I'm planning to take down the 5 rulers, will you help me?"

He replied
"Are you crazy ?!"

She said
"Apparently I'm not"

He replied
"I won't help you, I don't have the strength to help you. And beside I lost my dad in the war I can't let my mom lose me too"

She said
"You know this age is different from before, no one is safe, not even your family. Who knows you might find yourself in a situation where you can't do anything about it"

He replied
"I'm sorry but this is just plain crazy, the Rulers are an even bigger threat than Generation X"
"Give up your plan and just be safe"
"If I happen to encounter a generation X I will be willing to give up everything in order to protect my family"

She replied
"You're weak"

He replied
"I may be weak but I'm not that crazy"
"Goodbye"

Joy's thoughts
'He wanted to protect his family, but the war is only going to get worst. He may be weak but his conviction is strong. This is fun, it's been a while'

'I wanted to know if he's strong enough'
'But I guess the time hasn't come yet'
'It will be even harder from here'

She was shocked as she saw Wayne heading back

Joy asked
"What is it ?"

Wayne said
"If you really want to beat the rulers go ask the resistance"
He handed her the volunteer papers
"I think they can help you"

Joy was dumbfounded as he expected Wayne to just run away but he found the courage to step up and suggest where to get help

Joy's thoughts
'Interesting'

Wayne's thoughts
'She's crazy!'
'What's up with her'

As he was walking deep in his thoughts again, he bumped into a guy walking in opposite direction.

Wayne looked up and said his sorry but he was shocked as he knows who the man standing before him.

Wayne uttered this words as he is succumbed in fear

"I'm so sorry sir it won't happen again"

He bowed his head as deep as it could

The man looked at him in disgust and said

"Look where your going next time"
"I'll spare you this time"

After the man walked past him, he was in relief to be able to breathe again. He was scared to death. If he's not mistaken, that man was the 15th Rank leader of the Servant.

Wayne's thoughts
'Holy shit'
'I almost died'

Joy watching from a far
'I thought he's dead, this guy is not just weak he's also a dumbass'
Joy facepalmed herself

Meanwhile
The Rankers

Rank 1 - 14 have gathered in the conference room as they will talk about the hunt.

Rank 10
"What's taking so long?"
"Why haven't we started yet?!"

Rank 5
"Shut up!"
"The orders was we needed to be complete in order to start!"

Rank 7
"Look who's talking you just arrived here"

Rank 8
"Why don't you guys just be quiet until everyone gets here"

Rank 13
"Since when did you know when to shut up"

Rank 2
"Hahahahaha you guys are as crazy as ever"

Rank 3
"They don't mature do they?"

Rank 4
"Atleast 8th looked decent now"

Rank 9
"The fuck is that supposed to mean?!"

Rank 11
"..........."

Rank 12
"This country is boring, when do we get to have a real fight"

Rank 14
"He's finally here"

Rank 1
"The newly sent 15th has finally arrived"
"Care to introduce yourself?"

Rank 15
"What makes you think you can order me around?"

After what 15th said the 1st stood and approached him with a calm manner. The first held 15th shoulder and instantly pushed him to the ground like a rag doll.

The 15th thoughts
'The fuck is this strength!"

He was shocked, he knew the 1st held back against him. He wasn't even able to fend off the 1st strength

Rank 1
"Everyone here is stronger than you, more ruthless than you"
"Let me ask you again"
"Can you introduce yourself properly "

The 15th knows that if he even planned to disobey the 1st order he'll be killed on the spot.

15th thoughts
'So this is Generation X top soldiers in this country '

Rank 15
"My name is Vladimir Volto"
"I'm a Russian Generation X soldier"
"I'm here to partake in the hunt against the resistance"

As the meeting started, the 1st announced the places where the resistance could be hiding. He has given them the following orders.

Rank 1
"Kill everyone even if the residents in that place is not a rebel"
"Do not leave anyone alive"
"We start the hunt after this week"
"Dismissed"